retail profiles // classy // hilo clothing

q&a with Julian Lopez, president & key buyer.

Store contact: Julian Lopez
Number of stores: 1
Location: Long Beach, California
Square footage: 1,000
Year opened: 2006

Amanda Torres, BODY: Describe your store, including physical description and key product categories.

Julian Lopez, Hilo Clothing: Hilo Clothing caters to men and women by offering contemporary fashions and accessories. The store is located in Long Beach on Broadway; an area that is part of the up and coming urban community of the city. Much of this hub of the town is known for its independent businesses and specialty boutiques. Everything from designer dresses to jeans, shirts and shoes [as well as underwear and swimwear] is sold at Hilo Clothing. [We carry] 65 percent men’s merchandise, and 35 percent women’s merchandise.

A.T.: What makes your store special, and why do customer choose it over competing stores?

J.L.: Our store is unique in the way that we keep offering the latest in trends, and fashion-forward clothing. We also sell swimwear and underwear fashions unlike anyone else’s.

A.T.: What brands are particularly important in your store?

J.L.: Mundo Unico; Andrew Christian; N2N Bodywear; Energie; Miss Sixty; House of Howe; Ringspun; Back Hearts Brigade; Division E; Kinetix; and Debonair, among many others.

A.T.: What price range and size range do you carry?

J.L.: We like to vary from affordable to designer prices to widen our target base.

A.T.: Who is your customer base made up of?

J.L.: Young adults to the trendy middle aged people. Men and women, although mostly men.

A.T.: What other information about your store would you like to share with us?

J.L.: We also design our own clothing line, known as Hilo Brand, that we offer only in our store. It is a contemporary line for men.