Abby Riley, founder of the vintage clothing collective Concrete Hippie and Kent State alumna, brought her business to Scribbles Coffee Co. for a pop-up this weekend.
Riley began Concrete Hippie in 2023, with a mission to bring more awareness to sustainability and to inspire others to express themselves authentically. Riley has been doing pop-ups at Scribbles for the last year and a half.
“I think Kent is really unique for pop-ups because it is such a diverse culture of a city,” Riley said. “There’s a lot of younger generations and a younger culture with the campus being so close, but also the loyal community of people that have grown up here and live here.”
With thrifting and shopping on the rise in recent years, Riley said she is excited to see the resurgence of buying upcycled clothing.
Her brand focuses on quality pieces made from natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk.
“If you’re purchasing mindfully and sustainably, your clothing is going to last you a lot longer,” Riley said.
Kent State students Madelyn Chwojdak, junior musical theater major, and Ashelyn Sweet, a senior double majoring in theater performance and psychology, strolled the streets of downtown Kent to explore the shops and pop-up.
Sweet said exploring downtown Kent is an underrated activity.
“There’s always something like this pop-up or the shops,” she said.
Both students emphasized the importance of shopping upcycled and supporting small businesses.
“Trends come back around,” Chwojdak said. “So, a lot of the stuff you’ll find secondhand is ‘in’ right now.”
Sweet said thrifting allows people to find their personal style when they shop second-hand.
“You can find a lot more unique items that really make your closet your own, and you can build your own style based on what’s available in a thrift store or one of these pop-ups,” Sweet said.
Due to the popularity of thrifting, the students noted the importance of buying secondhand clothing and accessories.
“I love secondhand jewelry, it’s all that I have,” Sweet said. “I love to upcycle anything that I find.”
As an actor and artist, Riley sees fashion as a way for people to tell their story and be a representation of who they are.
“Letting your fashion be loud and bold, and telling your story in an authentic way,” she said. “I think vintage pieces are the best way to put those together.”
Claire Duber is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
