Fabric Horse Moves

Fashion > Forward

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

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Published: Mar 23, 2010

 

Carrie Collins, owner and designer of bicycle-centric accessories line Fabric Horse, will move her retail and production space out of NoLibs' Piazza at Schmidts at the end of the month. The move, executed just as the retail climate warms with the weather, was not her idea. "I signed a license agreement [with property developers Tower Investments] for two years," says Collins. "By the terms of the licensing agreement, either party could cancel it at any time with 30 days' notice. They said they had found an upscale boutique willing to pay three times my current rent."

Tower Investments — who did not return requests for comment — is exercising its right to relocate Fabric Horse to a retail space on the outside of the Piazza facing Germantown Avenue. "My rent would remain the same," says Collins, "but the space they want to relocate me to is half the size [600 square feet vs. 300]." Collins, who constructs her utility belts, spats and backpacks with one employee in the store, is opting instead to move in with her former employer R.E.Load (310 N. 11th St.), who handmake bicycle messenger bags. Customers may ring the outside bell to be buzzed up into the second floor of the R.E.Load/Fabric Horse showroom, or make an appointment if they wish.

"When the Piazza opened, Tower dropped the rents really low to bring in artists and small businesses," says Collins. "They wanted to create young energy. A year goes by, and they're shopping for somebody who can bring in more money. They are looking for different kinds of businesses."

(felicia.dambrosio@citypaper.net)

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