Exit Underground Offers Edgy Attire in the 'Burbs

Amy Jo Fischer finds it funny that there are people who are afraid to enter her store in downtown Naperville.

Shoppers do need to walk down some stairs to enter , but what awaits them inside the store is pretty tame. The store does sell some edgy attire and there might be rock or classic punk music playing but, other than that, the store is pretty normal.

Fischer, 50, opened the store in April 2008 after a trip back to New York City where she once lived. During the late 1970s and early '80s Fischer worked at a store Trash and Vaudeville in New York City, which is an icon in the punk movement and one of the first punk outfitters.

After her return visit to New York City with her family, Fischer was driven to open a store in Naperville that would offer a creative outlet for those seeking something edgier in the suburbs.

“I really wanted to make something unique and original,” Fischer said during an interview at her store. “When I fixed the place up, I wanted to transport [shoppers] to another place.”

Pink and black are the store’s colors, which she says pays homage to her former employer, Trash and Vaudeville.

Inside the store shoppers can find funky T-shirts, skinny pants, pleather clothing and black band T-shirts. But the big seller is TOMS shoes, Fisher said. She can’t keep them in stock.

She caters to a broad demographic of shoppers, she said.

“I get anything from little kids to 55-year-old men looking for TOMS or Led Zeppelin T-shirts. People come from all over,” she said.

Her shoppers are looking for the “cool store with the cool stuff,” she said.

One thing she keeps in mind when purchasing merchandise for the store is the price point.  She’s not interested in trying to sell $200 jeans. Most of the stores items are moderately priced and trendy T-shirts can be found in the $20 range.

“I find really cool, amazing things, usually from artists, like new crazy hats or new designs,” she said.

She goes to trade shows when possible, including a show later this year in Las Vegas. She would travel to more shows but said the economy has taken a toll.

“I did this all on such a tight budget," she said. "I did it mostly with cash. … And, I did it in ’08. I’m not sure how I made it through ’09.”

The sluggish economy is another reason she keeps price points low but she said the economy is slowly but surely picking up.

Fischer continues to work as a commodities broker, and had no experience opening a business.

“I’m an entrepreneur by spirit,” she said. “I was always looking for something where I could be artistic and make a decent living. I feel like I’ve found a niche. Every town needs to have a place like this.”

She spends six days a week at her business and has a "very" part-time employee who helps out for a few hours in the evening.

Fischer has two daughters, Eloise, 15, a student at , and Estelle (Stellie), 9, a student at .

Teens usually go through a period where whatever the parents do isn’t cool. Fischer had the same experience:

“For a while [Eloise] was like ‘ewe’ but she’s come around.”

Fischer has heard from teens that have found solace in her store.

“I have had kids say, ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t opened. Now, I am able to meet other kids like me,’” she said.

All things considered, Fischer said she is very happy with her decision to open the store.

“I think this is what I’m supposed to do in my life,” she said. “I’m mixing things up in this town, in a family-friendly way.  … It’s not just about being preppy, it’s about being yourself.”

Exit Underground Attire is open Tuesday–Thursday from noon to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information about the store visit exitundergroundattire.com.