The large jeweled palm leaf necklace pictured above was $40 ($175 retail) at the J Crew Clearance Store in Arden, NC.
I had heard loads from my pal over at Scoop Charlotte about the seemingly mythical J Crew Clearance Store hidden in a corner of western North Carolina.
So when a last minute trip took me to Asheville last week, I started researching breakfast places (A girl’s got to eat, right? Thanks to Alli Marshall for the suggestion of Early Girl Eatery. I am still dreaming of that delish black bean omelet).
And of course I Googlemapped the exact location of the J Crew Clearance Store. Which on paper sounds like an easy task, but when you talk to natives who’ve never been, it gives you pause. As does the location (once you actually get there, trying to talk yourself out of stopping to ask for new directions).
The storied Clearance Store is tucked in the back of an industrial park in Arden, NC, tacked on to the far end of a J Crew Distribution Center. It’s smaller than most retail stores, but they make the most of the limited space. And, as a bonus, we visited during a 20 percent off the entire store sale (clearance included). Wheee! Check out the rest of the pics I snapped with my phone here.
Highlights:
* J Crew does a big business in wedding attire, especially for non-trad brides and bridesmaids. The front half of the Clearance Store was packed with a wide range of sizes and gown styles. I’m standing up in the June wedding of my dearest (oldest doesn’t sound right, but we’ve known each other since first grade) friend, and she graciously assigned us a color family from which to choose our dresses. I scored a version of this dress for $24 in royal blue. Rock on.
* Madewell denim and knit shirts were in the mix, but the majority of the merchandise was J Crew and Crewcuts (for kids). Kids selection was considerably smaller than that of adults. And, womens clothing and accessories were more plentiful then mens.
* Leather shoes (for adults and kids) and handbags were a steal. I almost couldn’t resist the enormous yellow shoulder bag for $60. But I couldn’t stop myself from buying a pair of killer nude heels for $56 (retail $235). I also had to face the reality that even though I could get my almost 7-year-old son a pair of bucks for $18, the deal would be lost on him as he’d never, ever wear them.
* There was a surprising amount of on-season apparel, including swimsuits, sundresses, shorts and boatloads of flipflops for men, women and children.
* I was hoping to get some of the fab J Crew jewelry, but the pickings were slim, though the prices were fab. The large jeweled palm leaf necklace pictured above was $40 (retailed for $175).
Have you been? What was your experience? Do tell!
Clearance Store info: 1 Clifford Way, Arden, NC 28704; 828.687.6475; 11a-6p Sunday, 10a-8p Monday-Saturday.
Oh, nice find. I’ll have to make a trip to check it out. And Alli Marshall? My grad school roommate. She’s fabulous.