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Business & Tech

Going Local Opens Leesburg Co-Op Shop

Three designers feature their clothing, handbags and jewelry all in one place.

Going Local, a co-op shop which showcases the work of three designer friends, opened June 1 at 109 S. King Street in Leesburg. It is in the same building with and .

Kim Schalk is a “cutting edge” clothing fashion designer who strives to create pieces that are innovative, high quality, affordable and with a great fit. Schalk designs her clothes locally, based in Alexandria. She produces many items in her studio, but some are made in Los Angeles. She uses eco-friendly, recycled fabrics, many are vintage fabrics as she likes to “give someone as much as she can for as little as possible and I use the resources around me,” Schalk explained.

Jewelry designer Catalina LeMaitre is the founder of Calamarie. She uses eco-friendly materials such as orange peels, seeds, nuts and coffee beans to create her unique designs. The jewelry is made by artisans in Columbia, where she is from originally. LeMaitre also supports the artisans and people of Columbia by donating profits back to the schools there.

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Diamantina bags, by Claudia Diamante, are handcrafted by artisans in Argentina. The handbags are made of high end leather, but sold at an affordable price. Many of the unique handbags have colorful hot pink linings, removable straps and other features that you would find in an expensive high-end name brand.

So what brings these three friends to Leesburg? It turns out that Schalk has a good friend, Jeannie Derryberry, who lives in town and has been trying to convince her to open a shop. They found a spot in the former Pink Shop building and they currently have a short-term lease through the end of July. If things go well, they are hoping to extend their stay.

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“So far, the response has been great, so many people come in and say they are excited to see us here. All of the other business owners and our landlord have been so engaging and welcoming,” Schalk said.

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