Fashion on Franklin Street: A student's guide to clothing stores near campus

Chapel Hill is home to many unique boutiques. For current and incoming UNC students looking for new clothes to wear to class this fall, look no further than Franklin Street.  

The Daily Tar Heel has compiled a few popular clothing stores close to campus. 

Rumors Boutique

Thrift and consignment store Rumors Boutique has long been a staple for students since its Chapel Hill location opened in 2013. Students can buy new, thrift and sell clothing and accessories.

Today, the shop prides itself on providing on-trend fashion at an affordable price regardless of gender expression. 

UNC student Essie Acquah shops at the Chapel Hill location. She said that the style of the pieces at Rumors matches up with the style on UNC’s campus.

“I feel like almost any student at UNC could go to Rumors to find something that they like,” she said.

But for fashion-loving UNC student Caroline Cunningham, Rumors is more than a place to shop for clothes – working at Rumors was her dream job.

Cunningham described Rumors as welcoming to all people. 

“I knew that I would get along there because of the culture there,” they said. “It’s very queer and alternative and very much like a safe space for everyone.” 

Though often accredited with an ‘alternative’ vibe, Rumors still appeals to the broad population of students at UNC. Many of the shop’s staff is comprised of UNC students like Cunningham.

Uniquities

Founded in Chapel Hill in 1992, Uniquities is a boutique that offers clothes and accessories for both nights out and the most formal of occasions. Located at 452 W. Franklin St., many of its ready-to-wear items can’t be found elsewhere. 

Store manager Tiffany Cole said that Uniquities is an experience rather than a retail store, emphasizing the importance of forming meaningful relationships with customers.

“We get to know them, generation after generation,” she said. “We've got grandmothers that shopped here with their daughters, their daughters are now in their 40s or 50s. And now we're helping the next generation of wonderful young women and men coming into Uniquities to shop.”

Cole said that the store’s biggest success is “really getting to know each and every individual coming in the door.”

Though many of the items take on traditionally feminine silhouettes, Cole stressed the accessibility of the boutique to all. The store specializes in high-end denim but offers stunning accessories for punctuating any outfit.

“I always work with our customers to not just follow trends, but to find what works for them, what they feel comfortable and confident in and something that feels right for them,” she said.

Rosemary Street Market

Located at 422 W. Franklin St., Drift Marketplace is a space for student artists to sell everything from art to clothing. The space houses several businesses, including the clothing and accessory business Rosemary Street Market.

Rosemary Street Market was founded in May of 2020 by then-UNC student Max Holt and has operated out of Drift Marketplace since August of 2021.

Holt said Rosemary Street Market’s selection has a focus on vintage clothing and accessories.

“I love true vintage, especially 70s to 90s,” he said. “Beyond that, I like to cultivate a good UNC wardrobe, which is a pretty popular selection for a lot of Carolina students.”

He added that he also picks up the occasional “perfect piece,” which is a piece labeled as the perfect addition to any wardrobe.

Rosemary Street Market will be run by four current students in the coming semester.

Holt said he founded Rosemary Street Market to improve the appreciation and understanding of vintage goods in the UNC community and to provide a platform for other vintage enthusiasts to buy and sell goods.

“I'm hoping that the four students taking on the brand will run with those ideas and add their own and turn Rosemary Street Market into a multifaceted business,” he said.

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