Wheels On
Get on board the TrendZen truck to shop for affordable activewear
Friends and yogis Lauran Weiner and Debbie Tobias think outside the box — or, in this case, outside the shop. The duo started mobile commerce venture TrendZen, a literal shop on wheels offering comfy and affordable loungewear for women.
The process began in January 2012. Weiner and Tobias hoped to find clothing to supplement costly yogawear, which they felt was appropriate only for mat class or the grocery store.
The pair sought out high-quality, American-made activewear that is more wallet-friendly than, say, Lululemon. They looked for pieces appropriate to wear outside the yoga studio.
When the duo found all of the right tanks, tees, leggings, wraps and shrugs, they launched an online store in September. Some of the brands include Beyond Yoga, Clary Sage Organics, Nux USA and DINO Apparel.
“Busy moms, students and active women live in these clothes,” Weiner says. “We feature items you’ll want to wear when you travel, to your [yoga] practice, and out for dinner or drinks on any given evening.”
Because they both have preschool-age children at home, they wanted a flexible business that worked with their busy schedules. Enter “Truxie,” the TrendZen truck, which the girls have been driving around since January.
“Knowing we were unable to work in a store full-time, we opted for a more flexible, more fun and unique option of a mobile store,” Weiner says.
The 140-square-foot shop-on-wheels makes for a positive and intimate shopping experience. The store literally goes to its clients — at private homes for parties, studios, spas, schools, churches and events. The truck even has a dressing room.
As of now, Wiener and Tobias park their truck in front of new Lovers Lane studio We Yogis on the first Thursday and third Tuesday of every month.
“We are speaking with partners about regular stops, which we look forward to announcing soon,” Weiner says.
In the meantime, follow Truxie on Facebook and Twitter to see where TrendZen stops next.