Nestled in the heart of University City sits an urban store on Delmar Blvd. Its neon sign above the mannequins in the window reads “Buy, sell, trade”. Blueberry Hill and the Tivoli theater are visible from the curb outside the shop. Cars pass by as blurry lights in the night. People stride forward on the sidewalk. Even the fluorescent glow from the stoplights add life to the scene. This is Avalon Exchange.
Upon entering the store, there’s an aroma of incense and the sight of worn hard¬wood floors. Promotional posters cluster the walls. Some are advertising for indie bands like The National and others adver¬tise classes and events going on in the com¬munity. Walking past these posters, 33-year-old Monay Tate heads to the resale counter.
Behind this counter, a few employees dressed in vintage clothing fold and sort through stacks of clothing brought in by customers. Every piece of clothing must be categorized by style, type and gender before it’s set out. Yellow price tags are at¬tached to the garments with wooden clothes pins. Using a ladder, an employee hangs up a display outfit on the wall. Another employee, manager Jenny Beausang, greets Monay at the counter.
Monay is a regular at the store, stopping by three to five times a week to see if there’s any¬thing new. Ten years ago, Monay walked by the Avalon Exchange store window. Something caught her eye. Curious, she walked in to take a better look and found clothes she wouldn’t easily find anywhere else.
“I grew up in University City, and at that time [Avalon Exchange] had name brands with low prices,” Monay said. “Then I saw that they had different items.”
According to Monay, she can make a state¬ment anywhere in Avalon’s clothes. There is something for every occasion: wigs, fedoras, fake moustaches, studded belts, suspenders, rain boots, fur, plaid, spandex, leopard, paisley, lace, Cardi¬nal’s shirts and so much more. Gently worn and new shoes sit on the top of each rack. There is a pair of Jordan airs, Converse, fur boots, cowboy boots, loafers, flats and formal heels.
The store is always changing.
“It changes as much as fashion does,” assistant store manager Bevin Blake said. “When I first started working here, you couldn’t find skinny jeans.”
Now the majority of the pants are just that.
Avalon Exchange’s location in downtown Uni¬versity City contributes to its wide array of cloth¬ing. Since the population is large and diverse, what is sold at the store is also diverse. According to Jenny, this is what gives the store an edge over other retail stores.
“I think that you can get great clothing, shoes and accessories that are unique and cheaper than what you can find at the mall,” Jenny said.
Part of what keeps Monay coming back is the atmosphere of this resale store and the welcome that she receives every time she goes there. All the workers know her by name.
“I love the environment,” Monay said. “[The employees] are always so friendly. They’re just one-of-a-kind.”
By Aurora Blanchard
