April 30, 2014

Attending college in a small town can often mean scarce shopping options, but this is not true in downtown Whitewater. Quaint shops offer a diverse range of products and can offer residents exactly what they are looking for or make for a fun Saturday afternoon in town.

Shopping local also provides students with the opportunity to support small business owners.

Downtown Whitewater offers various stores for apparel shopping: retail, upscale resale or thrift shopping. Ranging in price and products offered, students should be able to find any clothing item they need at one of these locations.

ARANDA 

ARANDA, located at 177 W. Main St., is a family-owned boutique new to downtown Whitewater. It carries clothes for both men and women, but focuses mainly on female clothing and accessories.

ARANDA carries products including: dresses, blouses, jeans, sweatshirts, jackets and accessories such as shoes and purses.

Store Manager Marta Aranda said the store carries few of the same products to provide customers with the opportunity to possess a unique clothing item that most likely will not appear in the store again.

Often times, boutiques are expensive because they feature specialty products. However, the clothing and accessories display the latest fashions sold at reasonable prices.

Aranda said the owners want merchandise to remain affordable for students in town.

“We want the students, or anyone else in the community, to look good, but they should also be able to afford it,” Aranda said.

ARANDA is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Customers can access promotions on ARANDA’s Facebook page, facebook.com/arandauniqueappeal.

Reflections of the Past

Reflections of the Past, located at 182 W. Main St., is an upscale resale store that carries consignment clothing, vintage fashions and jewelry.

Janna Burhop, owner for 23 years, said vintage clothing is the cornerstone of the store. Burhop said store supplies evolve as the times change. The only part of the store to remain consistent is the vintage apparel.

“I can mix today’s clothing with vintage styles to create whatever [the customers] want,” Burhop said.

Although Reflections of the Past is not a costume store, Burhop said students visit around Halloween to find missing costume elements they could not find elsewhere.

Theatrical departments visit the store and will form costumes to match a particular era in the work, Burhop said.

The Thrift Shoppe 

Thrifting has become a trend among college students. The thrill of searching for unique items at cheap prices excites college-aged adults with little spending money.

Whether it is in pursuit of the perfect Halloween costume, house items or knick-knacks, thrift stores provide customers with a wide variety of used items.

The Thrift Shoppe, located at 123 Church St., opened in 1966. First English Lutheran Church established the shop to provide the community with affordable clothes and items.

Manager Mary Higgins has been involved with the shop since 1976 when she began as a volunteer.  Several volunteers who are associated with the church operate the Thrift Shoppe.

The Thrift Shoppe carries a wide variety of items including clothing, kitchen utensils, home décor, toys and old movies. It is different from a typical store because it is a house with several rooms. The shop is organized with a unique item themes in each room.

“You never know what you’re going to find in a resale shop,” Higgins said.

If you are a crafter, the thrift store carries various cheap items, such as vases or frames, that can be recreated into a new object.

Before leaving town for a shopping spree, consider shopping in Whitewater. You might be surprised to see what you can find.