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Business & Tech

Mother Fletchers to Relocate in May

What's old will be new again when the vintage clothing store moves down the street.

Local hipsters, hippies and plain ol' regular folk who appreciate a good vintage outfit will soon have the opportunity to shop in a new atmosphere when leaves its current location for the recently emptied House of Chants building on West Nine Mile Road in a few months.

Owner Eric Fletcher, 43, said he’d been thinking about upgrading his space for a while and was even considering moving to Berkley or Clawson. He said that when he found out the House of Chants spot was available, he pounced on it, partly because of the vintage components of the building, such as the tin ceiling and marble floor.

“I was looking for an older piece of property,” he said. “I’m glad I was able to find a place that suits my needs in Ferndale.”

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Fletcher said customers who are used to spending hours searching through his enormous collection will find the new space more organized, with the same styles and quality of clothing but with more of a boutique feel.

“I want to take it up a notch, keep it fresh for the art consumers, put a different spin on it,” he said.

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Fletcher said the new store, about 1,600 square feet, would be a little smaller than the shopping space at his current location. But he said he hopes the more intimate space will contribute to what he describes as his store’s already superior customer service.  

“It’ll make it personal again for the vintage shopper,” he said.

Fletcher's plans for the new store also include cheaper prices, made possible because of lower overhead costs, including rent and utilities.

“I think vintage should be affordable and fun," he said. "I’m making smart fiscal moves that will allow me to lower my prices on my merchandise at this point.”

To prepare for the move, Fletcher said he is already offering discounts from 50 percent off to 75 percent off his current inventory, and he's working with the to publicize even more deals closer to the actual transition.

Cindy Willcock, office and volunteer manager at the DDA, said the group is working with Fletcher and other local businesses to teach them how to use social media and other forms of cheap or free publicity in order to promote their company.

“We’re giving them a little more knowledge, teaching them how to use it more effectively,” she said.

Fletcher said he will spend the next couple of months remodeling the space and readying it for his grand reopening, expected sometime in May. He said he plans to add staggered vintage shelves and said he will make the old downtown Hudson's counters he already uses more of a focal point.

A special room for the higher-end merchandise, as well as a room for sale or “blowout” items, will be created as part of his new structure. He also plans to replace the fluorescent lighting and hang chandeliers.

Despite the opulent vision for the remodeling, Fletcher said he wants to keep the feel Mother Fletchers has now.

"I want it to be very hands-on vintage where people feel comfortable, not like a museum,” he said.

Jane Parkinson, 59, has worked for Mother Fletchers for seven years and said she’s looking forward to the move because she anticipates a different atmosphere.

“I’m excited,” she said. “I think it’s going to be better organized and better curated. And we’re still going to accommodate all of the customers we already have.”

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