In the 90s, Mill Avenue in Tempe, AZ (Phoenix's cool-cousin suburb), was the place to go to hear great local bands and hang out with freaks, geeks and weirdoes. It was not unusual to catch the Refreshments or the Gin Blossoms tuning up at Long Wongs or get your palm read at Mrs. Rita’s. Nowadays the Mill Avenue District, as it longs to be called, caters to an yuppie-collegiate population, sporting Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Bath & Body Works, and Z Gallery. Construction zones are still visible annoyances, and parking space has been eliminated for future condos and boutique groceries, but the tree-lined streets provide plenty of shade, and the proximity between stores, restaurants and galleries still beckon to the city wanderer.
So-Oh! Fashion
514 S Mill Ave
480-377-8818
Located in the heart of Mill Ave., this deceptively large shop looks like a great place to get shoes on the cheap. Upon closer inspection, this shop also sells Ed Hardy tanks, tees and trucker hats, and is the only place on Mill that sells True Religion and Rock & Republic jeans (you will still pay a pretty penny to have that label on your ass, sorry). So-Oh also has a great selection of tank tops, tube dresses and sleeveless shirts to get you through the Arizona summer. They carry excellent vintage and unique purses—leather studded hobo bags, sequined clutches, tote bags for the eco-friendly—at affordable prices, which makes up for the ho-hum jewelry and accessories. Their website is nothing but a JuJu Lacouture advertisement, so check out the racks in person.
Hippie Gypsy
601 S Mill Ave
480-858-0400
A Mill Ave. staple for over 10 years, the Hippie Gypsy is a typically laid back, unassuming “recreational” bong shop. They offer tie-dye goods for even your littlest Rasta fan and—for when they grow up—2-foot long bongs. The staff is friendly and the shop is full of tie-dye t-shirts, spaghetti strap dresses, blacklight posters, ‘One Love’ bumper stickers and assorted glass pipes and accessories. The Hippie Gypsy doesn’t have a website, focusing on in-person quality service instead. You enter as normal member of society and exit smelling like a patchouli-bathed flower child.
Pitaya
534 S Mill Ave
480-577-9422
www.pitayaonline.com
With several locations across the country, Pitaya offers modern, summery clothes at great prices. With brands like Lush, Flying Tomato and Pitaya’s own house label, they offer bright, lightweight alternatives to shopping at Target. The Pitaya basic tees run about $12 and come in a variety of colors and necklines, ideal basics for layering with their $10 camis or $22 striped tanks. Their shop is clean, open and modern-industrial, so there is little chance that you will booty-bump your fellow shoppers. Pitaya also has reasonably priced flats and cute accessories, from hats to bags to watches. The staff is friendly but non-intrusive; even the website is geared to help you have an enjoyable shopping experience. Customers can sign up for email alerts to hear about new arrivals for both in-store and online merchandise, and most online orders are shipped the same day.
Divaz Boutique
740 S Mill Ave
480-968-1783
www.myspace.com/divazboutique
The clothing racks at Divaz cater to the Cougars of Tempe: sleeveless, flowing shirts and white shorts to accent the fake’n’bake tans. The clothing is reminiscent of items that could be purchased at Nordstrom’s, but their prices remain reasonable on most items. Divaz also features Juicy Couture clothing and bags (at Juicy prices, of course). Their website has a listing of the brands they carry, but some are exclusive at the Tucson store and are not available online, so phone ahead if you have your mind set on some William Rast jeans.
Brand X Custom T-Shirts
414 South Mill Avenue
480-200-2833
www.brandxstore.com
For the guys and gals who thrive on both custom-made design and graffiti culture, this store is an original. Brand X lets you design shirts, hoodies, and tote bags using their fonts and graphics. Most shirts, depending on order size, are made while you wait, using one of three methods: plot print, dye and iron-on. Plot printing is Brand X’s main method, which lends the design a screen-printed look. Dye designs are the most permanent process available, as the image actually becomes one with the fabric and cannot be felt on the finished product. Iron-on images work best if the customer is having a photograph or full color graphic applied to a non-white item. Basic tees and kid’s items are printed on oh-so-soft American Apparel. The shop is decked out in graffiti art, with custom canvases by Disposable Hero and other local artists on sale. Brand X staffers also do custom stickers for skateboards and are able to answer any questions you have about the process. Customers can play Nintendo while they wait, or walk down to any of the countless bars nearby.
The fashion scene in Phoenix doesn’t seem like it knows what it wants to be when it grows up, and the growing pangs aren’t over yet. Will Pottery Barns and assorted Gaps monopolize store fronts, or will quirky little weirdoes like the Hippie Gypsy and Brand X survive to adulthood? With large quantities of shop space available on Mill, the area can potentially attract more unique proprietors ready to sell specialty goods to Tempe residents who don’t want their unique culture to turn into fresh soil for a Williams-Sonoma.
