City-dwellers across the United States know all about the food truck experience. It can be hard to walk down even one street without spotting one of these cuisine cars and smelling the delicious aroma of Greek gyros and barbecue.

But now, fashionistas are slaying the streets alongside the foodies. A number of vans and trucks have popped up across the country, selling clothing and accessories curbside.

Mobile boutiques first started appearing on the West Coast in 2010 when designer brands like Alice + Olivia and Cynthia Rowley took their collections to the streets. We then saw the fashion truck appear in the media when discount chain Marshalls featured a fashion truck on its television advertisements.

During the past year, mobile boutiques have exploded in popularity, with nearly 100 members nationwide and 400 non-food-related, parkable stores now operating, according to the American Mobile Retail Association (AMRA). These numbers are expected to increase in the coming years.

Most mobile boutique owners are recent design school graduates and do-it-yourself women in their 40s. Many can’t afford the largely expensive down payment for a storefront, so they buy and repurpose retired library bookmobiles and shipping trucks off Craigslist.

According to AMRA, start-up costs for fashion trucks usually range from $20,000-$30,000, based on the average expense for a used truck, interior and exterior updating, and inventory. In comparison, a usual brick-and-mortar storefront can cost at least $200,000. With that price difference, it’s no wonder these fashion entrepreneurs are hitting the streets.

An added bonus is that most mobile boutique owners usually make back the money they spent on their truck within six months to a year. Recurring expenses include vendor fees, auto and liability insurance, and vehicle maintenance and gas, which seems like nothing compared to the fees they would have to pay for a normal storefront.

Despite the industry growth, many cities still regulate mobile boutiques based on peddler-permitting rules dating to the 1950s. Talk about sticking to tradition. Recently, though, a few cities — St. Paul, Minn., and San Francisco — have pioneered new rules to welcome this new mode of the retail industry.

The allure of fashion trucks comes from the combination of the convenience of online shopping and the ability to try clothes on before ones buys them. Who would want to drive 30 minutes to go to their favorite store when it can just come to them?

What you can find in these boutiques is just as creative as the boutiques themselves.

They sell everything from yarn to ponchos to peacock-feathered headbands. One truck in Salt Lake City specializes in healing rocks and crystals. Rather than sticking to cookie-cutter clothing and accessories, these stores pride themselves by carrying lesser-known brands and designers that aren’t found in most retail stores.

Although the space is small — 19-feet long at most — it is the intimate nature of these trucks that draws in customers and keeps them coming. Rather than wandering around aimlessly in a large department store with no clue where anything is, it’s pretty easy to find something in a mobile boutique with owners who want to help you find that special piece you’re looking for.

I’m sure you’re wondering the same thing I am: Where can I find one of these fashion trucks? These stores on wheels can often be found by restaurants, landmarks and at special events, but like most food trucks, their locations change from day to day. Many try to make stops at the same events annually or stop at several locations across town to create regulars.

Ultimately, fashion trucks are reinventing the retail industry to something much more accessible and interesting. For anyone trying to follow the fashion norm, any mobile boutique is for you.

Here’s to hoping we’ll see one on Marshall Street in the near future.

Alexis McDonell is a sophomore magazine journalism major. Her column appears every week in Pulp. E-mail her at admcdone@syr.edu and follow her on Twitter at @AlexisMickD.

 

Published on January 13, 2014 at 1:58 am