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Owners use own experiences to attract college crowd
Not all Claremont businesses are struggling to make ends meet. Open since November, the Backwoods Vintage clothing store in the Harvard Square building has become a new hotspot in the Village. Owners Noelle Silva, 25, and Emily Silva, 23, appeared to have solved a mystery that has eluded many Village businesses over the years: how to attract college students into their downtown shops. The store features vintage clothing and accessories from the 1960s to the 1990s, with most of their merchandise priced around $8 to $12. The most expensive item in the store is a suede jacket for $20. “People want to be fashionable but not have to pay $300 for a new dress,” said Noelle. “College students are on a budget and can’t afford that.” The sisters came up with their business idea based on their own experiences as recent students. They felt the unique store would appeal to local college students who won’t have to trek into Los Angeles or Pasadena to find hip clothing. “The students have been great and have given us a very positive response,” she added. “We get really good word of mouth. People come in and they come back again with a bunch of their friends. Some have even thanked me for opening the store.” When searching for a location for their business, the vintage Harvard Square building, originally constructed in 1938, was a perfect match. Taking up only 750 square feet on the ground floor, Backwood Vintage has pumped some new life into the building that once was a thriving Village destination.
According to Ginger Elliot of Claremont Heritage, the Harvard Square building originally housed a movie theater surrounded by small shops. At one point, the building was owned by Rhonda Fleming, a popular actress in the 1940s and 1950s, who later sold it to developers. The Claremont residents and first time business owners weren’t sure the business would be an immediate success. “We were very, very nervous,” Emily said. “We had so much riding on this. Our first day, we were just peaking out the window to see if anyone would come in.” Once the word got out though, people started coming. “We made our first month’s rent in 5 days,” Noelle said. Back in style is the flannel shirt, the most popular clothing item at Backwoods Vintage. Emily said that a group of girls even has “flannel Fridays” where the student and her friends all dress in flannel shirts. In addition to the flannels, the store has jackets, hats, shoes, dresses and a one-dollar rack with jewelry and other accessories. The owners put new products on the racks each day so that there is always something fresh to find. The Silva sisters originally stocked the store with much of their own clothing. More recently, they get their goods from wholesalers in Los Angeles or online companies, but occasionally they find some items at thrift stores. “Don’t worry, everything is cleaned before it hits the racks,” Noelle said. Emily urged other Village business owners hoping to attract college students to consider what appeals to them; low prices and accessible products. Backwoods Vintage is located at 206 W. Bonita Ave. in the first floor of the Harvard Square building. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m. “Vintage clothing is good for people who like to dress creatively,” said Emily. “It’s good for the environment because it’s recycled. And you definitely won’t run into someone at a party wearing the same dress or shirt as you.” —Tony Krickl |
