ModCloth Opened A Brick & Mortar Store

It's hard to believe that ModCloth has been around for over a decade. However, after 14 years of online-only business, ModCloth opened it's first brick and mortar location on Nov. 12 in Austin, TX. For those who love the quirky brand but would prefer not to shop online, the opening of this store means the chance to try on Modcloth's wares IRL before buying.

According to Refinery29, ModCloth tested the retail waters by hosting various popup shops around the country, allowing ModCloth reps to interact with their potential customer bases and create a physical space that would meet their customers' needs and give them something different than what they were getting online.

“The store model itself is a hybrid of a showroom and a traditional store, where the majority of the apparel and shoes are samples that she tries on,” ModCloth CEO Matt Kaness explained to Refinery29.

According to a statement from ModCloth, the 4,000 square-foot story is an interactive social and shopping experience for the ModCloth community, featuring vintage-inspired clothing from sizes XXS-4X, the ModCloth Wedding line, jewelry, unique accessories, and more. Customers can visit the store website to book a styling appointment with a ModStylist, or simply walk in and browse.

So, why Austin? According to Kaness, the city meshed with the vibe of the brand. "Austin's style is quirky and a bit retro, but still of-the-moment and centered on creating new trends," Kaness wrote in a statement "It's very congruent with our styling POV. But more importantly, the local culture of Austin is the perfect expression of the ModCloth lifestyle — being free to express your individuality with confidence and a smile. It's no surprise that Austin is one of our top online markets and that the local ModCloth community there made our earlier pop-up a huge success, voting resoundingly 'Yes!' for us to come back.”

Fans of ModCloth on Twitter — both in Austin and otherwise — are stoked about the IRL version of the online store.

If only the rest of the country could be as lucky as Austin is right now.

To learn more about Modcloth's Austin location or schedule a consultation with a ModStylist, visit the Modcloth website.

Images: Diana Ascarrunz/Modcloth