Local shop Unhinged has surpassed the hard-to-break-into-business hurdles in Provo and has kept its doors open for its first year on Center Street in downtown Provo.
The Provo shop opened in July 2013 and will celebrate its one-year anniversary with a Fourth of July sale. The sale begins Friday and goes until 1 a.m.
The store carries locally made items ranging from soaps to leather baggage. It caters to the college “hipster” demographic and continues to draw in new business from students, professionals and tourists.
Corey Folster, the owner of Unhinged and a Utah native, has been in the retail business for more than 20 years.
“People want to shop local more and keep their dollars in their neighborhood,” Folster said. “I think Provo is a great place to do business, and the new neighborhood that is emerging in the historic downtown (area) is really exciting and vibrant.”
The Utah Valley Convention center has contributed to a more upbeat downtown area. New buildings and companies like this continue to draw people from all over to Utah Valley, according to Folster.
“It’s a good location; you have a wide variety of items that are priced at a variety,” said Adam Hall, a Snow College graduate and 10-year Provo resident.
Unhinged relied mostly on word of mouth and social media to draw customers.
“We just popped up in Provo, made a Facebook page and people liked us,” said Eden Call, an employee of Unhinged from Draper.
Unhinged recently acquired a barber, Reise Malachowski, who operates out of the upstairs back area of the store. This brought new business into Unhinged, because people are more likely to browse through the store before and after their hair cut, according to Call.
Additionally, Unhinged hosts “First Fridays,” a monthly art walk, during the Rooftop Concert Series, where local art students can display their work and people can gather and eat treats while shopping the sales that are throughout the store.
Call said the number of consigners has increased and they are hopeful for the future.
The store is located on 16 W. Center Street in Provo.
