Five Minutes With Neo Trash
Published: Jun 15, 2007
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Tricia "Trixie" Thurman and Bradley Hoffmann are the dynamic duo behind Neo Trash, an Ybor City boutique specializing in street wear and urban-vibe clothing - new and vintage - that customers can buy or sell. The owners say the shop is not just about clothes, artwork or accessories; it's also about evolution and revolution and creating a common ground for creatives.
Q: What's the concept behind Neo Trash?
TT: Street apparel that is underground and exclusive to us in Tampa. If you buy something here, chances are you're not going to see many people wearing it.
BH: It's a melting pot of her and me. She was a corporate buyer, and I used to run a resale and vintage store. She knows the fashion market and how to deal with our vendors, and I know how to run the floor. It works.
Q: You met through mutual friends and have been dating for a little over two years. Now you work together. How do you keep from killing each other?
BH: We've come close. (Laughs) When you own your own business, you have to be here because no one else is going to run it. So at the end of the day, it works for us.
TT: Anyone you work with you want to kill at some point, but we get things done.
Q: You moved here from St. Louis, quit your day jobs and then opened a store. What were you thinking?
TT: (Laughs) We had the right backing and found the perfect space. It was all moving so fast. But it's a dream come true and there was no going back.
BH: I was for it 100 percent. We decided to open the store in February, got the keys in March and opened on April 1, 2006.
Q: How's Ybor City treating you?
BH: Before our neighbors came over to introduce themselves, the president of the Ybor Chamber of Commerce was here, shaking our hands and telling us how happy he was we were here.
TT: For a lot of the owners, Ybor is like a family, so people are looking out for you. We've seen businesses open and we've seen businesses close, but we've had really good support.
Q: Who are some of the designers and artists in the store?
BH: Brandon Dunlap, Jay Giroux, Theo Wucjic, John Pearson, Oscar Beauchamp, Suspicious Package, Sauver, Heart Core, Owl Movement, Resist Today and Rogue.
TT: And we're always changing things around and finding new things.
Q: What's next?
TT: Working hard and evolving. It's always going to be an art house, and we'll keep throwing our bimonthly parties.
BH: We're really fortunate to be part of the change in Tampa, part of the history. I want Neo Trash to stay here, but I want it to grow and show up in other cities, too.
NEO TRASH
WHERE: 1515 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City; (813) 241-8490
HOURS: Noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, noon to midnight Thursday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday
ONLINE: www.myspace.com/neotrashllc
Reporter Sarah Hoye can be reached at (813) 259-7832 or shoye@tampatrib.com.
