Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Ohio Vintage closing, for now

By Sarah Poulton

BOARDMAN — After being a valuable fashion resource in the arts and entertainment community for a little more than six months, Ohio Vintage will be closing its doors.

Owner Aspasia Lyras announced Sunday that this coming weekend will be the last weekend Ohio Vintage is open for business. All vintage items will be marked up to 50 percent off and she said she is willing to offer deals on large purchases.

Lyras said she is closing because her lease expires at the end of February. She was offered the option of buying the building, but she said she’s not entirely happy with her Market Street site.

“I don’t know, I just feel like this isn’t the right location for me, for this store,” she said.

By summer, she hopes to find a new location in downtown Youngstown. She said she thinks being near Youngstown State University would be better for business and reach the younger, college-age clientele.

“I like the energy downtown,” Lyras said. “In business, it’s trial and error. Some things work, some things don’t.”

During her time off, Lyras said she will continue to sell items on eBay and is also willing to make private appointments if someone is looking for a particular item. She said she wants to use this time to find a smaller, downtown location and possibly share space with another business.

“I’m looking for something on a smaller scale,” Lyras said. “From being open, I see what people like, what people want.”

Lyras said even though her store is closing, she doesn’t want to be a stranger to the scene. She said she will be participating in the March 8 Alzheimer’s Assistance and Referral Network’s Annual Charity Auction, and is also planning a spring fashion show downtown.

“I don’t want it to seem like I’m done,” she said. “I want to be 100 percent happy where I’m at...I like how everybody’s working together downtown trying to make it the arts and entertainment district. I think I can fit in there.”

Ohio Vintage will be closed until Friday at 1 p.m., when the sale starts. It will run through Sunday. The store will be open Friday and Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. and Sun from 1 to 5 p.m.