Elizabeth and Thomas Padgett next to the stairwell in their new resale shop, Purgatory Exchange. The first-time entrepreneurs see promise in Ann Arbor’s “huge range of culture and identity.” | Doug Coombe
“I’ve always been an avid thrifter, so this is kind of like a passion project for me,” says graphic designer and artist Elizabeth Padgett, who’s partnering with her engineer brother Thomas on Purgatory Exchange.
The S. Ashley resale apparel and accessories boutique was awaiting an occupancy permit at press time to begin a buy-only phase to fill out the colorfully bold and funky two-level space.
Elizabeth, thirty-three, brought “a little bit of an edgy esthetic,” as she puts it, to the eclectic and whimsical murals, including a stairwell collage “inspired by tattoo culture to a degree.” Their neon outdoor sign is the latest of many downtown creations by Mark Chalou.
Related: Sign Wizard (Feb. 2015)
It’s the first foray into entrepreneurship for the Toledo-area siblings, who self-funded what’s become a full-time venture for both.
Thomas, twenty-nine, says he’s done his due diligence on the local market. “You’ve got the University of Michigan, and resale is just a popular trend amongst people in Ann Arbor,” he says. “It’s one of a kind. It’s sustainable.”
Elizabeth is aiming to eventually cut the commute and move closer to their chosen city. “There’s a huge range of culture and identity here, and I think people care a lot more about finding something that’s unique rather than finding something that’s new,” she says.
She figures that denim and graphic T-shirts will be big draws for their youthful target market, but they both promise a judgment-free experience for sellers—especially if the clothes are folded and laundered.
“It’s a very vulnerable experience when you have somebody sifting through your wardrobe,” she says. “We want people to feel comfortable here and accepted here. We’re not going to turn any particular style away, and that’s something that I’m very passionate about.”
They’ll have branded reusable bags for the first 2,000 or so sellers, who can drop in to have items processed and within an hour get a text message with a cash offer (or more in store credit), Thomas explains.
With nearly 6,000 square feet to work with, “we’re going to have a lot more inventory than traditional consignment,” he says, but “it’s gonna be more curated than a thrift store.” Letter-coded tags will help them reduce prices as items age.
They’ll use social media both to spread the word on the latest arrivals and to keep track of trends. “Y2K is very popular right now,” says Elizabeth, referring to clothing that came out around the turn of the millennium. “Fashion’s very cyclical. It all comes back eventually.”
Purgatory Exchange, 209 S. Ashley. (734) 821–4785. Daily noon–7 p.m. purgatoryexchange.com
Got a marketplace change? Email [email protected].