BATON ROUGE, La. (InvestigateTV) – A New Orleans teenager has converted a used bus into a traveling clothing boutique, taking his business on the road across the Gulf South.
Valen Purvis, a student at Rummel High School in New Orleans, operates a mobile clothing store called Transit. The concept began during a family vacation in Point Clear, Alabama.
“Me and my dad, and my mom were on vacation in Point Clear, Alabama, just trying to enjoy the beach because they have a good beach out there,” Purvis said. “And we saw the bus on the side of the road for sale. So we’re curious people. Of course, we stopped, and we checked it out.”
Purvis said he saw a $3,000 price tag on the bus and pitched the owner his idea for a mobile streetwear store. The owner reduced the price.
“He actually notched it down to [$2,000],” Purvis said. “So we got a steal, AC, bus running. We drove it all the way back from Point Clear to New Orleans.”
Purvis then removed the transit seats, installed clothing racks, and added a custom ceiling design inspired by the New Orleans downtown scene.
“Put some wood in it and we kept the lights in here, took the covers off of it, having more of like a futuristic vibe,” Purvis said. “And of course the clothes, the addition of clothes — it’s a store now.”
In less than a year, Transit has appeared at 20 to 30 events from Baton Rouge to Houston. Purvis said the inventory is intentionally curated.
“I don’t just buy bulk, and like, I’m gonna just see what happens,” Purvis said. “But like, it’s handpicked. It’s kind of luxurious, a little bit.”
Purvis said future stops include Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma. He also said the business has offered lessons beyond retail.
“Just like lighten people’s day and just help people find like specific personality traits that they can express through clothing,” he said. “And really like learn from myself too. Like this bus is a representation of myself. So I’m learning myself, and I’m learning others too while I’m doing this business.”
Purvis said he plans to attend college and pursue a career in a corporate setting while maintaining the independence Transit currently provides.
“See where it takes me,” Purvis said. “It’s a bus. I mean, it’s going to take me somewhere, right?”
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