XPress Gear Brings Hot Streetwear to Downtown

Philip Baum wants Cranford shoppers to get ready for something different.

He and his wife, Helen, are the owners of Xpress Gear, set to open at 11 North Union Ave. on September 12.

“Cranford, and actually the entire area, doesn’t have what we’re bringing to town,” said Baum. “We’re different. We have a product that we know is going to be great, and we’re going to draw customers from a 20-mile radius.”

Xpress Gear will offer high-end clothing from brands such as Buffalo Denim, Mek, Ed Hardy, Sinful and Affliction. Although the original Xpress Gear, located in Somerville, has been in business for 14 years, the Cranford store will be even more upscale.

His plans for the 4,000 square foot store that formerly housed A Touch of Home are ambitious.

“We’ll have mirrored ceilings,” says Baum. “Track lighting, no more florescent lighting. We’ll have six flat-screen TVs playing music videos all day long, and another flat screen in the back for the skateboarders to play games.”

Baum’s target audience is everyone from preteens to retirees.

“We’re not all about premium clothing either; we’ll have everyday stuff for everybody, too,” said Baum, noting that not everyone will want to pay for labels.

Baum believes that “skateboarding is big in Cranford” and intends to have a small skateboarding component to his store. He will sell clothing “because skateboarding has its own fashion,” as well as equipment. Baum plans to get involved in the town's attempts to raise funding for a skate park at Hillside Avenue.

For the Baums, the choice to bring Xpress Gear to Cranford was easy. They looked into opening a store in Cranford after hearing their friend, owner of the City Grind coffee shop at 11 North Ave., praise the downtown district. They spent about a week in Cranford researching and talking to downtown patrons and decided that “this is the place to be.”

Some shoppers are enthusiastic about having a high-class apparel retailer in Cranford.

“So many Cranford kids are going to want to go there,” said Jake Esendemir, 18, of Orchard Street. “Not just for boards, either; for cool clothes, too.”

Others, however, have misgivings.

“It’s just ridiculous to pay that much for a t-shirt,” said Ryan Olesky, 29, formerly of Yale Terrace.

Baum is excited about opening in Cranford, and is hard at work getting the store ready.

“Every day is different. Come back tomorrow and the whole front of the store will be painted.”