Clovis Work World sells Hello Kitty scrubs, work boots
Men increasingly wear work brands such as Carhartt as casual wear.
More girls can get free prom dresses through nonprofit’s Dream Dress program.
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Hello Kitty medical scrubs aren’t what most people expect to see at a Work World store, but the new location in Clovis has them, along with more traditional work clothing.
The store opened late last month in a former Anna’s Linens at 975 Shaw Ave. next to Kmart.
“Believe it or not, fashion and work have melded,” says general manager Joe Whited.
In addition to Hello Kitty, there are scrubs featuring Betty Boop, red hearts, animal prints and other patterns, along with several solid colors. Brands such as Dickies and HeartSoul are increasingly form-fitting and colorful. Some scrubs sold at the store come in juniors sizes.
Work World carries plenty of the more manly clothing for construction and other workers, including Carhartt shirts, Dickies pants, Wrangler and Levi’s jeans, and work boots.
The store is the first in Clovis and, at 7,000 square feet, the biggest of the three in the Fresno-Clovis area.
In addition to coveralls, hard hats and fluorescent jackets for road workers, people are increasingly wearing Work World clothing outside of work, Whited says. The Carhartt polo shirts and T-shirts are particularly popular because they’re sturdier than other shirts, he says.
The store also has shorts, cargo pants, camouflage sweatshirts and men’s flip flops with extra support.
Work World also carries all kinds of boots, including static-resistant boots for electricians, nonslip roofing boots, waterproof boots for farmworkers and lightweight tactical boots for SWAT team members and others.
Affording prom
If spending hundreds of dollars on a dress is enough to keep a girl away from prom, here’s an alternative: Free dresses through the Dream Dress project by the Assistance League of Fresno.
The nonprofit group runs a boutique that gives qualified girls free prom dresses, shoes and jewelry.
In the past, the dresses went only to foster kids, but the program has expanded to include “girls who would not be able to attend a function such as graduation or prom without some help,” says Sandy Ross of the Assistance League.
The group runs a boutique on Blackstone Avenue that has close to 2,000 dresses, 400 pairs of shoes and jewelry. About a third of the dresses are new, donated by the Little Black Dress Boutique in Fresno and Macy’s.
The remainder are nice dresses donated by the public — nothing that’s been sitting in someone’s closet for 20 years, Ross notes. This is no thrift store, she notes.
“We want the girls to feel like they’re having a complete shopping experience,” she says. “We really strive to make it like a regular formal wear store.”
Dresses are also available for middle and high school students for other occasions, too, such as graduation, banquets, recitals, etc.
Students need a referral to get a dress. The organization has already been in touch with social workers, as well as principals and learning directors at high schools in the Fresno, Central, Clovis and Sanger unified school districts. They have passed along forms to students who they think qualify.
Qualifying students wishing to get a dress can also contact Sandy Ross at (559) 999-2881 or Skrcom@aol.com.
Dollar General
Dollar General opened its newest store in Madera on Saturday. The store at 37303 Avenue 12 sells discount food, housewares, cleaning supplies, seasonal items and more.
Prices are discounted, but not everything is $1.
This story was originally published March 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Clovis Work World sells Hello Kitty scrubs, work boots."