By james art The owner of Refresh Clothing 2 celebrates a decade in business in Birmingham, 25 years of entrepreneurship
Clothing update 2a Birmingham staple, celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 3rd. Owner Corey Bishop celebrated 25 years in business that same day.
The clothing store and its owner are not your average business or entrepreneur. This is evident upon entering the lively and inviting Five Points West flagship location, where Bishop is known for frequently greeting customers by name and instantly knowing their style. Bishop’s is proud to celebrate the many years of operating and serving the community store at 2247 Bessemer Road in Birmingham.
With Refresh Clothing 2, Bishop has intricately woven the hard-learned lessons of his past into a model that has shaped a new vision for his future while doing the same for others – with fashion as a common thread. Refresh Clothing 2 takes an approach to fashion that focuses on providing clothing as ready-to-wear and interchangeable collections and offers style that translates into fashionable seasonal offerings for customers aged 6 to 75.
Owner Corey Bishop recently helps a customer at Refresh Clothing 2 in Birmingham, Alabama’s historic Five Points West. (contributed)
After overcoming personal obstacles more than two decades ago, Bishop moved to his Five Points West-Ensley location in October 2014, several years after leaving the former family company, Music-n-More. Bishop builds on the strength of that foundation, his personal experience and wisdom from mentors like Eric Walker, who inspired him to take the road to ownership.
“Having a mentor is important,” Bishop said. “I had to change my way of thinking to see myself as an entrepreneur and an economic entrepreneur. Now I’m ready to train the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
Part of helping train new business owners requires Bishop to continue to allow others to mentor and train him. He invested in himself by participating in many accelerators and opportunities through REV Birmingham and the Central Alabama Redevelopment Alliance. He was a participant in TeamUPbusiness advisory services program organized by the Birmingham Business Alliance. Through TeamUP, BBA has armed local organizations with the skills and expertise to create engaged, effective and outstanding teams.
“The day you stop learning is the day you die,” Bishop said. “You should always keep growing and learning. That’s why I wanted to gain knowledge through TeamUP and the efforts of Birmingham Business Alliance and partners like prosper.” Prosper is a nonprofit civic partnership focused on promoting the inclusive economy of Birmingham and Jefferson County.
Bishop grew up in Birmingham and is ready to see his hometown grow. He wants the Five Points West community to become a destination, not just a pass through. He is hopeful about the future and feels that things are changing for the better. “It’s in the air,” he said. “Things are changing. We have businesses and people coming back and businesses and people staying. It finally feels stable here. We deserve this.”
To contribute to continued growth, Bishop continues to expand his ventures. He has now partnered with Reginald Davies to add Twice as Nice Water Ice to his collection of businesses. The neighborhood business offers flavored ice reminiscent of Italian, but with an undeniable Birmingham flavor. Bishop is heavily involved with the Five Points West Chamber of Commerce, working with other area developers to drive foot traffic and dollar exchange. He introduced new initiatives such as The Big Homie Podcast, which shares news from a street perspective; Arrogant treats; and Frame by AB, a photography and videography service. He also works with local fashion businesses such as Ace the Seamstress and homewear brands Kritical Love and Heartful Echos.
Bishop supports other entrepreneurs by providing resources like Zack’s Digital Dashboard, which specializes in logo, banner and t-shirt design. It’s all Bishop’s way of paying it forward, as others did for him when he went out and officially started Refresh Clothing 2 a decade ago and when he jumped “forward” into the world of entrepreneurship officially on Oct. 3, 25 years ago.
To learn more about Bishop and Refresh Clothing 2, email [email protected].
Owner Corey Bishop helps a customer at Refresh Clothing 2 in Birmingham, Alabama’s historic Five Points West. (contributed)