Fashion & Style

New Fashionista Hunting Ground Opens in Old Pasadena

“We’re here to shift people’s paradigms of shopping" says Crossroads Trading's Lia Finkelstein

By KRISTINE SPOOR
Published: Friday, April 2, 2010 | 9:19 AM

Crossroads Pasadena store manager Stephanie Hegareda with District Manager Lia Finkelstein show off merchandise.
Savvy shoppers know that when it comes to fashion, what goes around comes around.  That’s what makes the hunt through vintage and second-hand shops so much fun, that tantalizing hope of scoring a Really Big Find. Nothing quite like the thrill of stumbling across a velvet Betsey Johnson mini dress, that Mizrahi Couture blouse or Marc Jacobs at a fraction of its original sticker price at Bergdorf Goodman.

That’s what the brand-new Crossroads Trading Company store in Old Pasadena is all about. Fashionistas (and the rest of us) can buy/sell/trade great looking clothing for, well, more great looking clothing. Crossroads has just enough corporate-ness about it to give shoppers a reassuring experience: this is their 25th store, and they operate up down the West Coast and as far East as Chicago.

“Crossroads buyers hand select merchandise. We sell current, contemporary clothes, in great condition, and from good labels,” explains Lia Finkelstein, District Manager for Southern California.“Our buyers are trained to know the trends of each season, know what’s going on in the retail world, know what’s going on in the streets and that’s what we look — for because that’s what our customers want.”

Crossroads Trading not only sells second-hand merchandise but also buys and trades them as well. “We’re here to shift people’s paradigms of shopping.

It’s ok to shop second hand! We offer another outlet for recycling clothing and we get to keep it out of the landfill,” Finkelstein says.

That concern for the environment also extends to their policy on shopping bags. Their “Bag Tag Program” donates five cents to a local charity whenever a customer opts not to take a plastic bag. For this Pasadena branch, the charity of choice is the Pasadena Humane Society.

Expect to find clothes from Marc Jacobs, H&M, GAP and Banana Republic in their racks.

“Shoppers can find all of those labels in here, second hand but in great condition at 60% off. It’s a one stop shop!” Finkelstein says, referring to the fact that Crossroads stocks accessories, also.

“The beauty of Crossroads is that we cater to a broad customer base. I like to say that three to four generations to shop here. The grandma can shop, the mom can shop, the aunt can shop, the daughter can shop. We have a wide customer base and we cater to our neighborhood.”

Crossroads Trading has stores in the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland and Chicago. Finkelstein says the Pasadena branch is a great addition to their company.

“We’re excited to be here in Pasadena. We’re open in a great neighborhood and we’ve been waiting to be here for a long time. It’s a beautiful area.”

Even though the store just opened March 31, Finkelstein says it’s best to come by often since there will always be something new.

“We get people revolving their wardrobe because our customers are fashionable and fashion forward and love clothing so this gives them an opportunity to keep their closets fresh.”

Crossroads Trading can be found at 104 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.  You can also log on to their website: http://www.crossroadstrading.com.  Become their friend on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crossroadstrading.

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