Raleigh, Wilmington clothing stores ready to set up shop at Person Street Plaza

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Dawn Wallace

Staff Writer- Triangle Business Journal

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Lumina Clothing, an iconic Raleigh men's fashion staple, is on the verge of an upgrade.

In June, owner Barton Strawn shared that the shop was moving from a shared spaced on Moore Square in downtown Raleigh to a newly leased space in Person Street Plaza by the fall, and he's about to deliver.

The space beside him will feature Wilmington's self-made Edge of Urge, a local handmade fashion designer and curator. Owner Jessie Williams says she hopes to establish a fashion incubator, allowing students and startup owners to create and work on fashion in a shared space.

"We are getting there right now, and Edge of Urge is coming along well," says Strawn in an email about being within the projected timeline.

Lumina's clothing consists largely of clothes produced in North Carolina, representing an upswing in the state's textile industry.

According to a study by Redress Raleigh, a fashion and sustainable textiles association, N.C.'s apparel jobs hover around 20,000 this year. The industry supports around 92 apparel companies in the state, such as Lumina. According to the National Council of Textile Organizations, North Carolina is ""the second-largest textile state and the third-largest apparel state in the U.S. in terms of employment." For the time being, however, Strawn says he does not anticipate hiring.

Person Street Plaza is also the new home of the Umstead Hotel & Spa Chef Scott Crawford's new restaurant and specialty grocery store Standard Foods.

"North Person Street is an exciting area to be in," says Strawn, who says he will soon announce the opening of the new store.

Reporter Dawn Wallace covers small business, personalities and Triangle trends.