Death of a Salesman: Borders To Close Its Doors Permanently

In an era of e-book and iPad obsession, it’s no surprise that Borders, the nation’s second-largest bookstore chain, expects to go out of business by September. The company began its downward spiral when it declared bankruptcy in February, and on Friday it’ll begin liquidating its remaining 399 stores.

The Borders in Fairlawn closed in March 2010.

George Bilgere, director of John Carroll University’s writing program, seemed to predict this fate in "Beyond Borders," his personal essay for our Voice section back in April.

“The days when you could drift through acres of books, sipping a latte and parking yourself with a magazine in an overstuffed chair near the gas log fireplace, are coming to an end,” he wrote gloomily.

As one student told him that she downloaded her class reading assignment onto her iPad, a feeling of dread overcame Bilgere. “A year from now [the students] would all be sitting in front of me with their glowing screens, staring with pity at the old guy shuffling through his primitive pages,” he said.

While some take pride in their nifty gadgets, others recognize the timeless value of books. Dave Ferrante, owner of Visible Voice in Tremont, told Bilgere that a book — as in one made of paper — is technology in and of itself. “It doesn’t break if you drop it. It doesn’t need batteries. And anyone can get one for free from the public library.”

Is this the apocalypse for the printed book? No, but Borders’ closure does mean more than 10,000 people nationwide will lose their jobs. Only five Cleveland-area stores remain open for now: Westlake, Solon, Beachwood, Strongsville and Tower City.

The Dredgers Union: Reviving Downtown's Shopping Scene

The Dredgers Union on East Fourth Street has the hip feel of Urban Outfitters, the sophistication of Banana Republic and the flair of Cleveland.

Various vignettes of apparel, accessories and home goods — what owner Danielle DeBoe calls “narrative merchandising” — greet visitors. “They’re supposed to tell a story,” she says.

It's a story about the past being the key to the present. DeBoe cites the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution as inspirations for Dredgers’ ambiance. There’s a hint of the past within the scattered odd gifts of old-fashioned shoe polish and drawer knobs, but then I’m brought back to the future as I browse through skinny jeans with Vampire Weekend playing overhead. That fits. Dredgers is a breath of new life in downtown’s once-booming, now nearly nonexistent retail industry.

DeBoe, who owns The Dredgers Union with Sean Bilovecky, says business has been booming since the store’s soft opening June 17. “It’s just been bananas,” she says animatedly. “We didn’t have super high expectations before the soft opening. But we’ve had a tremendous surge of people coming in.”

Dredgers offers men’s, women’s and kids' apparel, as well as home items such as bedding and cooking utensils. Prices for men’s and women’s shirts range between $30 and $90, and jeans go for an average of $110. Like Urban Outfitters, Dredgers stocks an array of gift ideas, such as paper airplane pendant necklaces and globe paperweights. Some of the merchandise is surprising, from the cutesy hammers made especially for women to candles that smell like men’s cologne. The store stocks items from more than 110 vendors, including American-produced brands that are scarcely seen in the Cleveland area.

The brand that stands out is the store’s private label, designed by Bilovecky and women’s designer Dana Hardy right here in C-town. Though Dredgers' merchandise is a bit pricier, Clevelanders will feel good knowing they’re supporting their hometown. “It’s a very difficult thing for retailers to carry a ‘made in the USA’ label these days,” she says.

The women’s clothing at Dredgers is a bit more summery and bright than the men’s, but both have an urban-chic edge. “We did not want an overtly feminine store,” says DeBoe. “We wanted to create a space where both men and women would feel comfortable.”

The store’s next big thing is its grand opening on July 8, which coincides with DeBoe’s Made in the 216 event — a celebration of Cleveland-based designers. The event will be a circus-themed party with music, beer, cotton candy and about 50 Cleveland-based vendors.

DeBoe says she hopes Dredgers will encourage other retailers to set up shop downtown. “I want to keep the creative endeavors in Cleveland,” she says.

To read Colleen Smitek’s profile of Danielle DeBoe in our June issue, click here.

Winter Blahs

Happy New Year! I'm sure I am not the only fashionista anxiously waiting for winter to say goodbye and the sunshine of spring to smile hello. I am darn tired on the freezing temps and sunless days and even more tired of the yucky snow and salt stains on the heels of my not so cheap boots. I have found that the best way to combat the winter blahs is to add lots of color to my typically all black winter wardrobe. I have traded in my dark nails for brightly colored manis and pedis, tossed away my black handbag for a red tote, and swapped my gray and black scarf for one that is fuchsia and much more fun. In doing so, I added more life to my look and smartly yet momentarily battled my winter blues. I would recommend that you also add splashes of bright colors to your winter look if not only to be more fashionable but to also enhance your mood. Happy shopping!

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

Holiday Hottness

Many of you have started to become bombarded with holiday party invitations and are not quite sure what to wear to these grand events. Invitations are pouring in from a variety of places such as work, friends, social organizations, and New Year's Eve parties. The holidays are the perfect time to add a little sparkle to your ordinary style so go ahead and dazzle your office crew and make your friends envious of your holiday spirit and style sense. Ladies; tops and dresses embellished with fur, leather, and sequins will definitely make an impression. Black opaque tights worn with heeled ankle booties, knee boots, or over-the-knee boots will complete the look. Guys will turn heads by rocking a wool or rich velvet sport coat in black, navy, or charcoal gray, paired with dark slacks or denim. Add a pop of color to your look with a striped or plaid dress shirt paired with a complementing neck tie and pocket square. These looks will surely get you through the holidays without a hitch. Happy Holidays and most importantly, happy shopping!

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

The well-dressed, well-heeled man

Recently I have received comments from my male readers expressing their feeling of neglect. I have heard you loud and clear, therefore this post is just for the male fashion followers. I as watched the runway shows of NY fashion week and scoured over the pages of several popular men's magazines and clothing websites, three menswear trends have completely taking over. First, the gray wool suit- it is super versatile and can be worn in both casual and formal settings. Depending on the weight of the fabric, a gray suit can be worn year round and is a timeless classic- a wardrobe must have. It is most appealing when worn with a vividly patterned shirt and bold necktie. The second standout trend are slim fitting shirts in charcoal gray, black, or army green with military inspired details such as buttoned front pockets and epaulets worn with complementing skinny neckties. Finally, every guy must get a pair of brown dress shoes for fall! Brown shoes offer the most bang for you buck. They can be worn with just about everything (yes, even black and gray) and look far less formal than the basic black shoe. I hope this helps my trend challeged guys and motivates my fashion savvy male readers, never again again shall I neglect either.

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

Falling Hard for Capes

Every fashion season I find something new to incorporate into my wardrobe. By new I mean a style or article of clothing that I have never really worn before. This summer, shorts became my "something new". Of course I have worn shorts before but never really as a fashion statement. This was odd and definitely new because I have some what of a love/hate relationship with shorts but this year I went for the love. I wore them often with everything from tanks and sandals to sequin tops and sky high heels. Shorts for the first time became my "go to" piece for day or night.

This fall I am going mad for capes and plan on wearing them from the first brisk fall day well into the frosty winter months. Capes are basically coats with armholes instead of sleeves and are perfect for providing just enough warmth on a chilly fall afternoon or as a layering piece to wear over chunky sweaters, blazers, and with elbow length gloves. Borrowed from the fashion era's of the 1960s & 1970s, capes are a chic alternative to the basic coat. Two of my favorite fall cape looks are: 1) worn with black skinny jeans, an over sized chunky sweater, opera length leather gloves, and laced up leather booties and 2) worn with a mini skirt the same length as the cape, dark opaque tights, and chunky heeled booties. Both looks are super hot and I can't wait to sport them this fall. What new fall trend do you plan to incorporate into your wardrobe?

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

Fab Fall Shoes

Here I am entering week four of my "no new summer shoes" challenge and interestingly enough forgoing summer shoe splurges have not been as difficult as I envisioned. I mean sandals are just little strips of leather glued to either a flat sole or platform heel, right? Well not really, but I have to find some sort of comfort in this process. Summer shoes definitely have their appeal however true shoe lovers salivate at the thought of a great pair of fall shoes or boots, especially the boots. As summer quickly moves along I find myself counting down the days to fall and the end of my shoe buying ban so that I can shop for shoes again. The problem is the selection of fab fall shoes and boots that have already hit the retail scene. It has been a true test of wills as I speed fast the shoe department of my fave stores so that I am not overcome by the temptation to stop, look, try, and then buy. As a new fashion mag arrives in my mailbox or online retailers alert me of more fall shoe fabness, my must have list keeps getting longer and longer. Right now here are my top five fall shoe must haves: 1) Ugg Australia 'Lynnea' ankle boot, 2) Sam Edelman 'Sanford' knee boot, 3) Steve Madden 'Harllem' boot, 4) Stuart Weitzman 'Ironlady' bootie, and lastly 5) Christian Louboutin Point-toe pumps. As my shoe list grows, I'm sure the money that I saved by not buying summer shoes will be well spent as I stock up on fall foot luxuries.

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

Lush Closes Its Doors

We thought Lush Boutique was a cool place to shop — designer brands and labels at an inexpensive price, trendy owners who were willing to help every customer put together an amazing outfit. We even reviewed the store in our March issue on newsstands now. Over the weekend, Lush closed its doors adding to the list of other retailers (Fibres and Cold Stone Creamery) that recently went out of business in Eton Chagrin Boulevard.

Photo by Jerry Mann

It's a Wrap

There's a trend emerging at our offices. Some co-workers have dubbed us the Secret Scarf Society, while others just stare wondering what we are thinking. But regardless of how many comments and odd looks we get, a lot of us have been sporting bright, colorful scarves around the office to keep warm. Some of our favorites? Target's Merona line has plenty of colors from pink (shown on the right) to turquoise at a nice price ($12.99), too. For a little more variety, Gap's fine-knit ruffled scarf  (shown in yellow on the left for $29.50) can liven up any outfit we wear. And that's no secret. 

Still on the holiday hunt for gifts? Check out our A to Z Shopping Guide for ideas. Also, sign-up for our style newsletter. Full of advice from our style expert to fashion-related events and cool items, next week's will feature places to go for great deals on Black Friday. 

A Modern Classic

We don't fall in love easily. But once we saw this classic sheath dress from Talbots we fell ... hard. With modern updates such as velvet piping and soft boulcé material, this dress evokes images of Audrey Hepburn. In either black (pictured) or bittersweet (a dark chocolate color) we might have to treat ourselves to an early Christmas present.

For more holiday ideas, check out our A to Z shopping guide. 

Just Add Water

At first look its as thin as a sheet of paper or even one of those Shrinky Dinks you used to play with when you were younger. But just add some water and it becomes a fully functional (and may we say fashionable) vase. Designed in 35 different colors, patterns and shapes, Vazu Flower Vases based in Cleveland, are also fairly inexpensive ($3.99 to $9.99) and can be reused numerous times. If only someone would send us flowers ...

*Looking for other cool items? Check out our A to Z shopping guide.

**Be sure to head over to Room Service in the Detroit Shoreway tonight and tomorrow for its Made in 216 event. 18 local designers will be showcasing everything from furniture to jewelry.

Happy Feet

A car full of new shoes? How can any woman resist? That's the thought at the grand opening of DSW at Crocker Park tonight. One lucky customer will win all the shoes she can throw into a Smart Car in 15 minutes. Just think how many pairs of stilettos, ankle boots and cute little flats that can add up to and how happy your feet will be. And to top it all off, the winner will also have a chance to score the actual car at DSW's Eaton Town Center store in Columbus Nov. 20. Registration for tonight's event starts at 5 p.m. followed by the drawing for the winner at 8 p.m. 

(Photo courtesy Hakimsalleh from Flickr)