Shopping for clothing and accessories is back in the urban core and so is Emily Moody.
A former partner in the Underbelly nightclub that opened on East Bay Street in 2012, she has opened Wolf & Cub, a boutique at 205 N. Laura St. in the historic Elks Building.
“We want to be a place Downtown where people can grab a gift or a quick change of clothes for after work,” said Moody.
She describes the store as having a “finely curated” selection of clothing and accessories, including vintage, that are “independently produced products.”
The “curated part” is due to the care Moody takes in selecting merchandise.
“It’s not a second-hand store. We go through all the junk to get to the good stuff,” she said.
The independently produced part is about carrying items that are made locally, including Moody’s own line that she designs and fabricates.
That’s what led her back Downtown.
After she and her partner in Underbelly parted ways, Moody joined the traditional workforce as the public programming manager at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.
Moody didn’t stop creating jewelry, though.
She began setting up a booth at Jaxsons Night Market in Hemming Park, but found setting up a booth to sell her creations for four hours a month wasn’t enough exposure to connect with customers.
“And it was a lot of schlepping,” she said.
The 9-to-5, five-day work week also was an adjustment.
Moody owned and operated a boutique in Five Points before she opened Underbelly and soon began to miss the entrepreneurial lifestyle.
“I got back into retail because I missed working for myself and I wanted to build my brand,” Moody said.
The next step in the journey back Downtown was a pop-up store at Brooklyn Station along Riverside Avenue. But being barely inside the border of Downtown just didn’t feel right, she said.
When she found a storefront for lease on Laura Street between Chamblin’s Uptown and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Moody and her partner in the venture, One Spark co-founder Varick Rosete, knew it was the right location for Wolf & Cub.
“There is guaranteed foot traffic along Laura Street. It’s vibrant and it’s the heart of Downtown,” she said. “We’re going full speed ahead.”
In addition to clothing, jewelry and accessories for women, the shop has some items for men, a line Moody plans to increase, depending on demand.
Wolf & Cub opens at 11 a.m. Monday-Friday. The store also will be open during events such as Art Walk.
Moody said she’ll establish a weekend schedule when she gets a better idea of shopping patterns.
“I’m ready to be a trailblazer for Downtown retail,” she said.
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