Darian Ward and Kate Glaspell are traveling thrifters.
“We travel the country, going to new states, taking photos while traveling, and bring our inventory back to our storefront in West Virginia,” Glaspell said.
That storefront is SunmoonApparel, located on Bridgeport’s Main Street, and features an exterior vibe to complement the items found inside.
“We want to spread the funkiness, really,” Glaspell said. “We want to spread colors and fabrics that inspire us. If it doesn’t inspire us, we usually don’t get it. We are retro-inspired, though not everything is vintage. And we love the 70s. We look just cool stuff, really.”
While traveling, the girls occasionally open a pop-up shop. When they aren’t traveling, they still keep their eyes open for unique, special clothing they can feature in their store. Jeans, tops, and T-shirts range in size from small to plus sizes.
The funky clothing line was the original feature of SunmoonApparel, when the doors opened in 2019. But since then, the store owners have evolved, carrying a much broader product line.
“A lot has changed. We now have items from other artists and vendors,” Glaspell said.
The addition in inventory came along two years ago, about the same time that extra space in the building became available. Among items the girls now carry are soy wax candles made by Dirty Hippy Co. and the products of Moon Flower Hemp.
“Dirty Hippy used to be in West Virginia, but the owner moved to Denver and wanted a place in West Virginia to show her work,” Glaspell said. “Moon Flower Hemp is owned by a young woman in Buckhannon.”
Also found at SunmooApparel are bags, bucket hats, vintage vinyl, lava lamps, plants from Freeds Greenhouse, Hula Hoops by Appalachian Fiber Flow, and products by 410 Soap Co.
“We even collaborated with them to create our own Sunmoon Soap,” Glaspell said.
Shoppers can also find jewelry, from fabric earrings to crystal rings and beaded bracelets, the latter made by Black & Teal Concepts in Shinnston.
What’s coming up? Ward said SunmoonApparel looks forward to collaborating with other Main Street businesses for special events and likely this summer, will offer live music on-site for special events. SunmoonApparel hosts celebrates Small Business Saturday the last Saturday of each month, offering a 20 discount.
The girls also have a trip to South Carolina in late April.
“We look forward to our upcoming travels and bringing back the goods,” Glaspell said.
SunmoonApparel is open 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Hours will likely be extended during the summer months.
The store is located at 202 East Main Street in the same building as NFM Lending, the former location of Country Peddler.