Ohio State alumna’s boutique relocates and grows as local business

Aja Miyamoto
Tue, 29 Jan 2019 02:35:23 +0000
Arts & Life, News, accessories, alumna, boutique, business, clothes, clothing, Columbus, Ellen Shirk, grows, high street, job, local, local business, ohio state, passion project, reality, relocate, relocation, short north, store, The Castle, VAMP, vamp official

The new location brings expansion to Vamp, including more clothing pieces and accessories. Credit: Aja Miyamoto | Lantern Reporter

Nearly two years after opening its doors to the Short North, Vamp Official, a boutique clothing store owned by Ohio State alumna Ellen Shirk, has officially relocated to The Castle building on High Street, just one block away from the first store.

Shirk quit her full-time architecture job to make her passion project a reality.

“I knew going in that I couldn’t stay and that if it didn’t work out, I could go back to my old job,” Shirk said. “But I knew that if it did work out that I would have to move.”

Starting as a hobby, Shirk and two friends started an online fashion store, which turned into a pop-up tent at the Sunlight and Moonlight market downtown. While driving to the market, Shirk began looking for retail space and found the perfect location with a short-term lease on High Street.

Open since summer 2017, the boutique has provided trendy clothing pieces and accessories to young professionals at an accessible price point. Boutique fashion has a history of being a staple of the Short North. Today, the arts district is home to more than 300 businesses.

Betsy Pandora, executive director of Short North Alliance, said it’s exciting to see so many new retailers coming into the Short North Arts District.

“Vamp has been in the Short North for a little over a year, and we’re excited for Ellen and for Vamp that she was able to grow her business,” Pandora said.

The new location brings expansion to Vamp, including more clothing pieces and accessories. Shirk said her previous experience with an architecture firm helped her come up with the design of the retail space.

She said her favorite parts of working in the store include meeting interesting people, helping others find new edgy trends and watching shoppers leave full of excitement to wear a new piece from the store.

Shirk said she advises Ohio State students with big goals to start now in order to gain momentum toward achieving them.

“Take the first step because I think once you get start you won’t stop,” Shirk said. “If you really want to do it, you won’t stop.”