Shoppers choose used clothing stores for unique style and affordable prices

Vintage boots and shoes are displayed in the window of the Minx boutique, located in downtown Athens, Ga. (PHOTO/Courtney Holbrook)



Purses, jewelry and more are crowded around the check-out counter at Agora, a boutique in downtown Athens that sells vintage items. (PHOTO/Courtney Holbrook)

By Courtney Holbrook

ATHENS, GA --- Girls who want their clothing to stand out this summer – without breaking the bank – are shopping at vintage thrift stores.

A few boutiques stand out in downtown Athens, and they continue to draw customers in by selling used clothing for cheap prices.

But thrift stores are becoming popular places for shoppers to not only find a deal, but also to break away from typical Athens fashion.

“When you shop at vintage or consignment stores, you can find clothing no one else will be able to have,” said Emily Ferrari, a fourth-year Latin and classical cultures major and vintage buyer. “You won’t see 50 other girls on the street wearing the same dress as you.”

Airee Hong, owner of Agora, a thrift shop on Clayton Street, opened her store seven years ago and filled it with unique clothing and jewelry. Hong also sells antique furniture.

Hong said the store gave her the opportunity to have a creative outlet, something she wanted as an artist.

“I didn’t open this store for money,” Hong said. “I created this space to put out beautiful pieces of art. I probably buy more stuff than I sell!”

Agora is run as a co-op, with over 50 vendors showing their merchandise. Hong is in charge of selling their products.

“Because we have so many vendors,” Hong said, “there’s a little bit of everything here.”

Janice Bryan opened Minx, a boutique on Clayton Street, five years ago.

Customers at Minx can find different dresses and boots on display every few hours. All clothing is organized by decade and designer – easing the way for a first-time buyer to find their perfect item.

Bryan, a thrift store shopper herself, originally only wanted to sell her own outfits.

“I ended up with way too much clothing of my own,” Bryan said. “I started out wanting to get rid of some of it, and then it turned into a job that made me happy.”

Bryan continues to sell personal merchandise, but has branched out over the years. She travels to small towns in Louisiana, Virginia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Georgia to find unique items to sell at Minx.

The numerous sales draw new customers, and keep current shoppers happy.

“I always have $5 sale racks on display,” Bryan said. “I want my customers to know they have a place to shop, no matter how they are doing financially.”

Apart from the funky clothing and low prices, boutique owners try to give customers something they can’t find elsewhere – a personal relationship with the store.

“I try to know the names of my customers,” Hong said. “I keep call lists, so that I can let them know when something comes in that I think they would like.”

Customers seem to appreciate the effort, praising the owners for their helpfulness.

“Airee and Janice encourage you to be bold with your style choices,” said Lauren Hook, a third-year international affairs major and long-time shopper. “They always make shopping a fun experience.”

Edited by Miranda Stancil

'Angels and Demons' fans enjoy book turned film

The film adaptation of Dan Brown's bestselling novel "Angels and Demons" has fans surprised because of its accuracy in following the story in the novel. (PHOTO/Imann Gad)

By Imann Gad

ATHENS, Ga— The novel “Angels and Demons” became an instant bestselling mystery-thriller when it was published in 2000, and when the movie premiered early this May, it was no surprise when fans lined up to see the story come to life on screen.

The novel follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon as he tries to unravel the mysteries of a secret society called the Illuninati, who are plotting to destroy the Catholic Church.

According to box office reports, “Angels and Demons” has brought in over $87 million in the U.S. and over $189 million worldwide.

#1 bestselling author, Dan Brown, teamed up with Academy Award-winner, Ron Howard, to produce the film, which has many novel fans flocking to theaters.

Jack Hermanski, a junior at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga., enjoyed both the book and the film. He said the movie was a good representation of the book and did a great job creating a sense of reality for the audience.

“I felt that the plot of Dan Brown’s novel was very much played out in the film,” Hermanski said. “The scenes fed into my imagination that was created through the novel.”

Although Hermanski enjoyed the movie, he did feel that the novel offered more detail and that the characters were developed more.

Still, he said that the film did a great job constructing the book through individual scenes of the movie.

“The scenes constructed in the film were more intense than the book because images portray reality and paint a better visual,” Hermanski said.

Felicia Chin, a student at the University of Georgia from Stone Mountain, Ga., is one of the many readers in Athens who have seen "Angels and Demons" at Beechwood 11 Cinemas on Alps Road. Chin said she liked the film because she felt that it brought the story to life.

“The scenes in the movie were very graphic and detailed,” Chin said. “Along with the sounds, it created motion and allows you to see everything that you imagines while reading it.”

Chin, who enjoys reading novels before they become films, liked the movie, but feels that novels are the best way to tell a story.

“With books you are always able to picture events the way you want and really use your imagination,” Chin said. “Because of this, I enjoy reading.”

Andria Williams, also a student at the University of Georgia, enjoyed reading “Angels and Demons,” and the “The Da Vinci Code,” a Dan Brown novel written as a sequel to “Angels and Demons.”

“I loved both books,” said Williams, from Stone Mountain, Ga., “but I also enjoyed watching ‘Angels and Demons.’” Williams saw the film at Beechwood 11 Cinemas as well.

As “Angels and Demons” continues to top the charts, fans of the movie and novel alike seem to look forward to future Dan Brown productions.

DUI arrest toll jumps over holiday weekend

Various checkpoints set up around Athens before Memorial Day weekend yielded six student DUI arrests. The checkpoints are part of an effort by the Athens-Clarke County and UGA police to decrease the number of DUI arrests. (PHOTO/Ben Bussard)

By Ben Bussard

ATHENS, GA – Over three dozen people were arrested for driving under the influence at various checkpoints around the Athens area before the beginning of Memorial Day weekend.

The crackdown is one of many recent attempts by the Georgia State Patrol as well as the Athens-Clarke County and UGA police to prevent the reoccurrence of DUIs in Athens.

Included in the arrests were six University of Georgia students, which adds to the already high amount of student DUIs that have been reported over the past several years.

Full story to come.

Edited by Miranda Stancil.