Would you buy clothes from a bus? An Edmonton boutique owner is banking on it

An Edmonton-area boutique proprietor is hoping group will get connected committee pinch her unsocial business thought of trading apparel — retired of a van.

Boutique On Your Street, which opened past summer, is 1 of nan first unit operations successful nan Edmonton area to travel a increasing inclination of businesses crossed nan state turning to caller ways to waste their products.

Wendy Smith, proprietor of Boutique On Your Street, told 630 CHED Afternoons pinch Bryn Griffiths that she was inspired to unfastened nan business aft she near her occupation successful retail.

“I was a azygous mom of 2 kids and I knew I wanted to activity for myself,” she said successful a Monday interview.

“I primitively wanted to commencement a footwear shop present successful Spruce Grove, but I couldn’t spend to banal 1 and rent one, truthful I had to make different choices.”

That’s erstwhile a friend suggested Smith tally nan business for illustration a nutrient truck. She yet bought a autobus that was retired by Strathcona County and renovated it from apical to bottom.

Once nan autobus was stocked pinch apparel and shoes, she deed nan roadworthy pinch her business partner.

“We person been connected nan 4 corners of Alberta, and moreover into Dawson Creek, B.C., earlier this year,” Smith said, noting that nan business’s societal media channels springiness shoppers a heads up connected wherever nan autobus will spell each week.

“We were down successful Canmore and Jasper and … Beaumont.”

When customers first measurement onto nan bus, Smith said group are often shocked. It looks for illustration a normal autobus connected nan outside, but it’s a complete boutique connected nan inside, she said.

“One of nan first questions we get is, ‘Are these vintage clothes’ or, ‘Are these utilized clothes?’” she said.

“They’re marque caller … I’m not going to opportunity we’re nan first group to ever waste apparel retired of a autobus … but we’re nan first ones that person unique, marque new, one-of-a-kind pieces that are from each complete nan world.”

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She said nan business has been good received. Some of her customers person moreover followed nan autobus astir to different places. One of nan main obstacles is having to beryllium really selective pinch merchandise stock, fixed its smaller space.

“What we do is we effort and find those unsocial pieces that you tin adhd to nan wardrobes that you bargain astatine nan brick-and-mortar stores,” Smith said.

“So it’s conscionable that small spot of thing extra, truthful you tin adhd it to your wardrobe, conscionable to zhuzh things up a small bit.”

Smith said location are plans to adhd much buses to nan fleet truthful nan business tin beryllium successful aggregate locations simultaneously.