i$) Minority & Small Business Week
September 27. 2006
Page BI I
Entrepreneur Finds Demand for East Coast Fashions
Itc h y P a lm s
b o u tiq u e s h a k e s
u p lo c a l s c e n e
by S arah B lount
T he P ortland O bserver
Paula Carrasco wields the double-
edged sword o f business savvy and
fashion savoir-faire with her family-
ow ned hip-hop clothing boutique.
Itchy Palms Urban Apparel, at 1030
N. Lom bard.
That is to say, she knows the right
m en 'san d w om en's clothing, shoes
and accessories to attract a crow d
looking for the latest hip hop styles.
And in the likely case you were
w ondering w here the name Itchy
Palms originated - C arrasco ex ­
plains that it means money is coming
your way.
"If you put in a lot o f hard work
and dedication, you'll see a return,"
she said about her success in the
retail business. “T h a t's the way I
like to interpret it.”
Carrasco is the 28-year-old daugh­
ter o f Chilean natives, w ho em i­
grated from Santiago to O regon
A sexy denim top with je a n s is
when she was eight, to pursue better
apparel that sells at Itchy
opportunities.
Palms Urban Apparel, a shop
Her father, always the enterpriser,
located in the sm all retrial
center on North Lombard adja­
ran a janitorial business before ar­
cen t to the 1-5 freeway east-
riving in the U nited States, and has
bound off-ramp.
had a string o f businesses since.
Itchy Palms is C arrasco’s first fam ­
ily business endeavor, but she has
what could potentially bomb.
built a cache of expertise through a
Carrasco does all her shopping at
double degree in Business and Span­
theseevents, held every few months
ish from the U niversity o f O regon,
in Las Vegas and other m ajorcities.
and several years spent in the ranks
" It's definitely a challenge when
o f Portland m ortgage com panies.
y o u ’re buying clothes in bulk,” she
Seeking the chance to learn som e­
said. “ I’m a very fashion forw ard
thing a little less routine, herparents
person,
but as a buyer you have to
photos by S arah B i . oi nt /T iil P or i la m » O bserver
approached her with an entrep re­ Paula Carrasco has found s u c c e s s attracting the hip hop crowd to her Itchy Palms Urban Apparel
cater to all m arkets. M aybe I think
neurial idea.
it's and everyone agrees, but that
store at 1 0 3 0 N. Lombard St.
........... I ■ ■■ < ■
- r "
p, •»»»»•»» <4..
«« «
Saying she would support her par­ ”
d oesn’t mean it will sell.”
ents in any decision, C arrasco left
So she spends a significant time
the mortgage industry after four and
researching.
a half years to pursue the w orld of
The leaves have barely begun to
retail.
turn but C arrasco’s thoughts are
Carrasco wanted to market some-
already on spring. Even so, her shop­
thing that was harder to com e by in
pers have their eye on fall fashion.
P o rtla n d -h o t East Coast labels like
“Track jackets are hot for fall,”
Roca W ear, M arithé + François
Popular urban
she said. “Gold is ho, for guys, bu,
Girbaud, Sean Jean, Akademiks and
designs fill the
girls are more difficult. They like a
LRG.
retail racks at
lot of denim and one-piece suits.
Y ou can find versions o f this style
Itchy Palms.
Her personal favorite style p er­
in shops like d.e.m .o. in the Lloyd
sonifies her ardent eye and efficient
C enter, but C arrasco delivers the
business sense:
specialized selection one can only
“ I stick to a sexy top or jeans, then
get from scouring fashion co nven­
dress it up with accessories,” she
tions and trade Shows, with a keen
said. “ I can pretty much m ake an
eye on what will be a hot sell, and
outfit out o f anything.”
Jtacy and Ulitbeck, Inc.
GENERAL ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS
Leading the light-rail construction industry
in the utilization o f
Minority Women Disadvantaged & Small Business Firms
Transportation
Construction
Amman Hnad &
Tnmportattoo Batkten
Associano/!
Winner of the
2003 “PRIDE” Award
403 S. E. Caruthers Ave.
Portland, OR 97214
Ph (503) 231-5300
F x (503)231-6692
www.stacywitbeck.com