After one visit to Fruition, you'll be hooked on its absolutely fabulous fun, funky T-shirts and classic apparel for him and her, from the late-late-'70s and early-'80s.
Chris Julian, 23, and Samantha Alonso, 21, the locally born and raised owners, do an amazing job of ferreting through hordes of thrift stores and present their finds in a fashionable boutique setting. That means you'll find many of the things the cool kids wore in the original Bad News Bears with a little Jaws, Valley Girl and Fast Times at Ridgemont High thrown in for good measure.
For those who can't recall the details or—gasp!—never saw any of these fine summer films that defined an era, let's take a moment to go over the highlights. Marketers had just discovered the power of message T-shirts. It was all about soda, sports and concerts, with shirts touting stuff like GTOs, the Pepsi Challenge, Cleveland Browns and the great state of Texas. Jeans were Levi's five-pocket 501s, Jordache, Calvin Klein or nothing at all. Over the tees were Members Only, Adidas or Puma track tops, or huge, puffy, down ski jackets. Shoes were athletic: running, tennis or basketball sneakers. For those who liked to be country-funky, cowboy boots were acceptable. Sunglasses were large, as was the beaded jewelry.
Fruition carries many of these things. It also carries a strong selection of Lacoste shirts, with the classic crocodile logo on the left chest, that have been around since the 1930s. Please note: Tennis champion Andy Roddick just signed a major sponsorship deal with this hip retailer. Also look for Ralph Lauren and Le Tigre collared knits.
Ladies will find some beautifully embroidered tunics and peasant tops, patterned dresses and skirts. Don't overlook the fabric belts to complete the whole look.
The store is in Tiffany Square on Maryland Parkway at Flamingo Road, an enclave of hipster activity with Paymon's Mediterranean Café and the wildly popular Hookah Lounge next door. Across the road, you'll find Buffalo Exchange. Just down the street is Big B's Records. If you're thirsty, there is a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or the Freaking Frog. Budget time in for a stroll around the UNLV campus and you could find yourself having a pleasant afternoon.
Fruition, 4139 S. Maryland Parkway. 796-4139.
Anne Kellogg is a native Las Vegan with a thing for purchasing stuff. E-mail her at
[email protected].