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The Clothing Warehouse has been in operation for nearly 5 years in Five Points. But for new owner, Jeannie Jones, buying the vintage clothing store started a new life chapter back in February 2011. After nearly 30 years in the insurance industry, Ms. Jones said that she was ready for “a new adventure” and “to explore other opportunities” and wanted to build on her prior business, retail and bookkeeping experience.  She liked the idea of a boutique clothing shop with the added twist of being a business with “a green approach” that focuses on recycling fashion rather than throwing out clothing and accessories. Different fashion designs continue to cycle through the decades, with some customers trying to capture a retro look while others try to be fashion forward, tweaking an old school design with a contemporary flair.

Owner Jeannie Jones, with an array of cool sunglasses

Like any new business owner, she made some immediate changes to the store, such as increasing the shop hours, freshening up clothing presentations, creating special sales and highlighting hot fashion items in weekly window displays. She noted that “we have gotten a lot of compliments on our store windows,”  including from local merchants. A broader array of new stock was added such as fun sunglasses, fashion wigs and costume jewelry. Ms. Jones is even toying with the idea of changing the shop’s name once her license on its existing franchise name expires in February 2012, so watch her Facebook page for updates. Kyla, the store’s resident pampered West Highland Terrier, is sure to have a say in any final name change in this pet-friendly store.

This busy entrepreneur and her staff are “in” to vintage wear and enjoy helping customers have a “fun, enjoyable experience” while looking for that perfect outfit to suit their personal style or upcoming social gathering. One of the main challenges has been finding what she needed for her eclectic customer base. “It takes a little while to get a feel for what people want,” said Ms. Jones. “Our clientele is really a mixture.” About half of her customers are local young people looking for vintage fashion while the other half are those seeking out specific period clothing for a special event. Ms. Jones also notes that her shop’s fashions are very popular with those involved in vintage weddings seeking 1940s wraps or 1950s pill box hats, or parties set in a certain period, like 1970s/80s disco dresses. From time to time, even members of local theater troupes will check out her inventory.

The proud owner advises that her store is not a consignment shop as nearly all stock is purchased from trusted vendors. On a rare occasion, she’ll check out estate sales if the fashion items are in demand. Some clothing “may absolutely be gorgeous, breathtaking,” but she won’t buy it if that style is not currently surging in the fickle fashion world. One hot trend is for bell bottoms–”and I was part of the bell-bottom generation,” she confides, “I’ve had multiple requests for them. They are hard to come by.” Another major fad is girl’s cowboy boots with short shorts and short pencil skirts, which are flying off the shelves.

A member of the Five Points Merchants Association, she was drawn to this area’s “small community feel,” reminiscent of the close-knit beach neighborhood where she lives. Her shop regularly participates in First Fridays in Five Points where local stores stay open late and greet customers with live music, refreshments and special sales on this pedestrian-friendly street. She especially enjoyed a previous month’s chocolate theme with chocolate wine and chocolate-covered strawberries and her store offered free 1940s fashion and make-up makeovers for customers. The store will have extended holiday hours: Mon. –Thurs.-10:00-6:00, Fri.-10:30-7:30, Sun.- 12:00-5:00 in December. Check Facebook for holiday sales and other updates or stop by the shop at 1010 Park Street, 904-356-5003, to step back to the future.

–Bridges DelPonte, http://www.bridgesdelponte.com

Known for its eclectic flair, Five Points is a perfect spot for Subculture, a retail store filled with creative accessories for you and your home. Fashionista Carlisle Dickey, with her close-cropped blond hair and beaded black corset top, personifies Subculture’s sense of individual flair. When I enter, she is helping two young women pouring over some trendy corset tops in this hip store. Industrial steel and black duct work ceilings mixed with antique chandeliers and couches, ornate mirrors and pink-striped floors and walls hint at Subculture’s diverse and unique approach to style.

“We wanted to bring more liveliness to Five Points. And it’s very inviting and fun to be yourself here,” adds Carlisle. Distinctive fashion jewelry, cool sunglasses, feathery fascinator hats, glittery head bands and custom tutus and corsets line Subculture’s display racks and glass cases. Custom artwork dots its walls and hand-painted furniture is exhibited throughout this shop. “Subculture is the essence of Five Points,” says Carlisle’s brother-in-law Drake Price. “It has something for all ages and for all styles, from plain to sparkly.”

Subculture's hand-crafted Fascinator hats

Started in August 2010, this young business is a family project of the Dickeys and Prices, all Jacksonville natives. Carlisle’s dad, Tom, has been a life-long entrepreneur and wanted to instill strong business values in his daughters, Carlisle and Ashley. Ashley and her dad had a clear vision for their store and Carlisle and Ashley’s husband, Drake, were happy to help them achieve it. In a weak economy, this optimistic family decided to try their hands at a retail business and to forge their own futures. “It’s great to be in control of your own business. If you make mistakes, it’s on you. But you can be as successful as you want to take it,” states Drake.

The entire family helped to design the store and spent countless hours pulling up crumbling carpet, removing hundreds of nail hangers, sanding down its glue-stained floor, repainting its walls and floor and decorating it with vintage furnishings; only to have a last minute power outage delay their grand opening. But they quickly rebounded and truly enjoy working hard together as family to make their store a success. They also motivate each other to reach their highest potential. “Our family saying is follow through,” states Carlisle.

Subculture co-owners Drake Price and Carlisle Dickey

Family members contribute not only time and funding, but also their creative talents to the store’s offerings. Drake shows me beautiful hand-crafted fascinator hats that would sparkle at any special event while Carlisle gushes with pride about her mom’s wall paintings and one-of-a-kind tables to add panache to home decor. These owners also point out that they mash-up various jewelry pieces to create custom items for their customers. “We try to stay ahead and watch the fashion scene,” states Drake. Subculture also offers fun “After Hours” jewelry parties for birthdays, wedding showers or other special occasions where customers can share wine and hors d’oeuvres while shopping for chic fashion accents. From time to time, this shop sets up tables at local events, such as a recent rockabilly concert at The Landing or Jacksonville Riverside Wine Festival in Five Points to get the word out about their trendy store. Over time, they hope to sell their unique items online or through additional store locations.

These owners like the camaraderie of area business people who meet monthly and strive to help each other be successful in Five Points. They also show support for local charities by donating store gift cards. Drake and Carlisle love to interact with people. “We love to entertain and we’re always good for a laugh,” smiles Carlisle. Spontaneous by nature, they surprise their customers with specials on Facebook or through unplanned street flyer campaigns. Gift wrap for your purchases is always free.

As the holidays roll around, if you’re looking for a unique item for that hard to please friend or family member, visit Subculture, where fashion meets fun, at 1009 Park Street, Five Points, 904-619-7446 or friend them on Facebook.

-Bridges DelPonte, bridgesdelponte@yahoo.com (e-mail)/ http://www.bridgesdelponte.com(website)

Quiches are made fresh daily. photo credit: CariVicarious.com

Bakery Moderne is closed on Mondays, but pastry chef and owner Nathalie Mockler is hard at work kneading bread dough. While Riverside sleeps, she arrives at 4:30 a.m. daily to prepare her signature baked goods and brew fresh coffee from local Bold Bean Coffee Roasters.

Her hand-shaped artisanal breads, from classic French loaves and croissants to contemporary sundried tomato-basil and asiago-cracked peppercorn, are made from scratch with organic herbs from her garden and without preservatives. It’s “a three-hour process just to make a small batch of French bread” and she’s “got some biceps” from the daily workout. The owner/baker takes a quick break to share how she turned her one-time hobby into Riverside’s hip European-style bakery and café.

Originally trained as an architect, the Jacksonville native earned an architecture degree minoring in art history from the University of Miami. For years she helped design educational and institutional facilities such as the Student Union Parking Garage at Florida State College’s Kent campus and the Social Sciences building at the University of North Florida. While completing those projects, she built a dedicated following among family and friends for making delicious multi-tiered wedding cakes part-time for nearly eight years. She admits that lengthy design and construction processes couldn’t compete with “the immediate gratification” of “putting a smile on a customer’s face right away” with cakes. Eventually she pursued formal pastry training at Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach (now Lincoln Culinary Institute), followed by a three-year stint as a pastry assistant at Epping Forest Yacht Club.

Bakery Moderne. photo credit: VisitSouth.com

A Riverside resident, Ms. Mockler scouted local vacancies and soon discovered this light, airy space with its tall glass windows, high ceilings and exposed brick walls at the corner of Stockton and Myra Streets. In December 2009, she opened Bakery Moderne with its art nouveau lettering harking back to her architecture and art history roots. The café is located across the street from the John Gorrie Junior High School, where painstaking renovations have burnished the school into an architectural gem (the couple that spearheaded the effort, Wayne and Delores Weaver, recently stopped into the café after reviewing the project’s final “punch list”). The pastry chef hopes the Gorrie development will further revitalize the neighborhood. Giving back to the community is important to her, and the owner/chef frequently donates baked goods to local organizations, such as the Sulzbacher Center, Riverside Fine Arts and Lender Processing Services’ charity events.

 
At an earlier visit, a lunch-time diner raved to me about the fresh breads and savory quiches. Mockler is especially proud of her Cuban sandwich made with slow-roasted pork and fresh-baked Cuban bread borrowed from her Cuban grandmother’s recipe. But she likes “to keep an open mind” to customer suggestions or ideas for new items. Her husband helps out “a lot behind the scenes” cooking up corn chowder and St. Augustine datil sausage and spicy black bean soups to accompany her fresh breads. With her high-quality standards, one of her biggest challenges has been to find trained staff to help with baking tasks. Admitting that “sweets are her first love,” the chef reminds diet-conscious customers that they don’t have to avoid all pastries. “It’s all about moderation and portion-size,” she says. “Our mini-tarts are all about portion control” and “fresh fruit is good to have.”

Pastry Chef and Owner, Nathalie Mockler, Bakery Moderne

With a busy holiday season right around the corner, she notes that fresh petit fours, dinner rolls, fruit pies and Yule logs will be in demand. The bakery also delivers catering services for special events, including dessert tables, breakfast and lunch platters and custom cakes for client meetings and events. So whether it’s baked goods for breakfast, lunch or a special occasion, be sure to stop by Bakery Moderne, 869 Stockton Street, where flour power rules.

–Bridges delPonte

The Riverside Church of the Good Shepherd holds another secular secret in addition to its public swimming pool. The Riverside Fine Arts Assocation operates from this location and uses the historic sanctuary as a concert venue. Your Sunday best is not required.

RFAA will begin its 18th season on Friday, September 30, 8 p.m. with the Brooklyn-based string quartet Brooklyn Rider.

• Brooklyn Rider is the only classical group invited to play at SXSW
• Each musician is also a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble
• Their newest CD, Dominant Curve is one of NPR Music’s 50 Favorite Albums of 2010

Catch this wildly inventive quartet, two of whom are brothers, before they ride out to Providence, Rhode Island for their next performance, at Brown University.

Tickets are $25 in advance or at-the-door. Bring a friend and check in on foursquare for a BOGO ticket offer.

Get a feel for their flavor. Video clips:  http://www.riversidefinearts.org/concert-series/brooklyn-rider/.

If you are due for a double dose of fine art, mingle with painter Eileen Corse, Corse Gallery and Atelier in Avondale, one hour before, and with Brooklyn Rider one hour after the show. The exhibition and artist meet-and-greet are in Craig Hall just inside the church courtyard. Complimentary wine will be served.  All artwork is for sale with 20 percent to benefit Riverside Fine Arts Assocation.

Upcoming RFAA Concerts:

Organ and a Movie, October 16, Jacoby Symphony Hall
(In partnership with the Jacksonville Film Festival)

Regina Carter, October 20, Florida Theatre

Earl Klugh and Nneena Freelon, November 18

Complete 2011-2012 Season

Thank you, Southern Living, for highlighting the terrific restaurants, boutiques and galleries of Riverside, San Marco and Downtown in your October 2011 issue. The article is billed as “a neighborhood-specific guide to the best places to eat, drink, shop and socialize in the River City,” and three of the four neighborhoods profiled are right here in our historic urban core.

Coincidence? We don’t think so. These are authentic neighborhoods with great architecture, beautiful public spaces and parks, tree-lined streets and interesting people. Our amazing locally owned, locally operated stores play a huge role in helping preserve the unique character of our compact, walkable communities, and the businesses highlighted in the article all operate at the highest levels of excellence.

Southern Living, we’re sending you some love!