Fashion Trucks

Hi ya! Glad you could orbit by today! Wonderful to see you! Pour some Arabica juine into your mug and hoist a virtual treat onto your plate. Say...you know there's  a huge following of food trucks in the US, eh. Ethnic food trucks are so popular that people line up in the rain to wait their turn for their favourite burger, taco, wrap, etc. Well there's a new trend in mobile movers and shakers. Read on...

Don’t have time to head to the mall? Perhaps it can come to you. 

The newest trend for Baltimore shoppers may be the mobile route, with a group of fashion trucks already making its way around the area and another coming in late summer. Call it the textile version of the food truck. Like the food truck trend, the fashion-truck trend has slowly made its way from Los Angeles and New York to Baltimore.

The FashN Stop offers a fairly wide variety of young women’s clothing. Brands sold include Rock Revival, a regular of Nordstrom. But some off-brand labels like Vintage Havana and Mata Traders are also on the racks.

Skirts and dresses range from $35 to $38, while tank tops can be bought for $10 to $20. Shoppers can also grab jewelry, accessories and shoes from the mobile boutique.

Urban Pearl, another fashion truck poised to open in August, is looking to upscale the trend while still drawing in shoppers with low prices.

“I think there’s a real interest in Baltimore and the Harford County area for new and trendy clothing,” Urban Pearl owner Lyn Boone said. “There’s a big market here because there’s not much to choose from clothing-wise.”

Boone and her partner Mary Baldwin invested in the truck themselves by looking at used vehicles. Sprucing the truck up with a fresh coat of paint is their next move.

Urban Pearl will offer styles for women ages 25 to 60. Though there are no “particular brands” the owners are going after, Boone said all of the clothes will be high quality. More specifically, clothes will range from $27 to $150, she said.

Urban Pearl will also have jewelry from local artisans at low prices, around $10 each.

But owners may run into trouble when it comes to working out where to park their boutiques, as the trucks have to obtain a permit for selling and parking.

“The whole thing is a headache, and Baltimore City is the biggest headache when it comes to getting permits, but we’ve gotten the permits and tax numbers,” Boone said. “The permits are pretty reasonably priced.”

Boone didn’t disclose the overhead cost of the truck, but said there’s a wide price range based on how much owners are willing to pay for vehicles and clothing stock.

Though some mobile businesses like FashN Stop have brought in more trucks fairly quickly, Boone said it’s better to finesse one truck and worry about adding more stores a couple years in.

Hey...got a step-van for sale? I'm thinking of...nah, I'd have to start off by painting the truck and more painting is all I need right now!

See ya, eh!

Bob