Solon’s most underrated

There is an underrated, undervalued and underappreciated importance to shopping locally. Not only that, but several smaller businesses located in Solon are often unfairly neglected in favor of larger ones. Of course, the typical consumer chooses to shop at chain stores opposed to family-run stores because it’s the “norm,” but the rise in new retail establishments in Solon can only boost the economy and offer multiple benefits to the city’s consumers.

Take UpScaleIT for example; a savvy, locally run business opened in June 2014 as a women’s clothing store. UpScaleIT has no other chains in any other city, making it a unique place for women in Solon.

“I had been selling online nationally and internationally for 15 years,”Alice Melsher, owner of UpScaleIT said. “At that time my inventory was stored in my basement and people were dying to shop there so I decided I needed a store front. We don’t have much retail in Solon for women, and I felt like the women in Solon deserved better.” 

Shops like Melsher’s are extremely helpful to Solon’s economy overall. In this day and age, massive chain stores like Wal-Mart dominate and can overpower smaller stores easily. But with new stores opening, it can only lead to more opportunities for the public. 

“It’s important to shop local,” Melsher said. “It directly affects our taxes and economy by giving jobs to people in our community. It also encourages other businesses to come to Solon.”

Large chain stores carry more general merchandise than a small independent store; in other words they have multiple brands for a variety of items. However, stores like UpScaleIT are combating this by offering a lot of the same high-end brands while also using upcycling (recycling used items and making them into something new with even greater value) as a means to stay green.

“UpScaleIT has beautiful designer clothing at great prices; including brand names that teens and parents love,” Melsher said. “We also have thousands of consignors who are making a ton of money upcycling their closets and wardrobes. Why pay retail? Next time you want a designer dress, handbag or shoes stop in.”

Another small shop that is often overlooked is the Exchange, located in Solon and Chagrin Falls. Customers are able to not only buy products, but trade their own possessions in as well. The Exchange is a bit of a larger business than UpScaleIT with many retail stores representing them in four different states, but it still does not receive the recognition it deserves.

“As a store I feel like we are underrated [compared to] some of the bigger chain stores, but locally we still hold our own,” said manager of the Cuyahoga Falls Exchange Chris Riley. “Being that we deal with video games, movies, music and memorabilia, we grab a wide range of people. You could come in looking for a movie and leave with the movie, the soundtrack and maybe a Pop Vinyl of your favorite character from that movie.”

With behemoth establishments like Target and Wal-Mart controlling the economy, it’s really nice to see small businesses on the rise and paving their own way into cities like Solon. It’s something that we need to value more and take advantage of.

“As far as getting business to come through the door, I would say we do just as much business as the big chain companies, at least locally,” Riley said. “I love my job at the Exchange and encourage people to to go to one and just look around. You may find that one item you’ve been looking for.”