The new store on the South 40’s storefront came out of necessity. Facing the recurring challenge to find affordable and sustainable clothes for their themed Greek Life parties, Leah Carson, Katie Kim, and Jordan Bloom decided to grab the bull by the horns and to create Weekend Wear. “We wanted to create a solution that addressed affordability, convenience and sustainability,” Carson said.
Taking advantage of WashU’s Student Entrepreneurial program, Leah and Jordan were able to invest and open a storefront from Thursday to Saturday 4p to 8p. The founders spent the summer collecting inventory from thrift stores and wholesale clothing stores with the goal to provide costume apparel for both men and women.
All items at the store can be rented or bought. Nothing is over $10 to rent, with most items in the 50 cents to $1 range. Renting an item consists of wearing it for one night, then returning it to the drop off in front of the store. All the clothing in the store is organized by theme for the convenience of the many party animals that visit Weekend Wear.
“Weekend wear is really based on how many events are going on,” Carson said. Although the store has been successful, the founders have many ideas in mind to diversify the business services and improve the storefront experience. In addition to expanding their team to 10 individuals, the founders hope to partner with Sharing with a Purpose (SWAP), WashU student run nonprofit, to integrate SWAP clothing in the Weekend Wear store front. Another idea is to make the process of renting more convenient through a website that includes an online inventory. Finally, Weekend Wear aims to expand their inventory to be more inclusive of social events and allow for donations to potentially include store credit.
“I think it is fun to help people pick out stuff to wear,” Carson said. “I get to meet new people, that I would have never met, and help them find new things to wear.”