Fashion truck turns into holiday pop-up

The Jeweled Gypsy, a retail shop in a 1987 Chevy step van, is taking a break from the cold weather with a new holiday pop-up in Overland Park’s Oak Park Mall.

Owners Kristi Sargent and her future mother-in-law, Janet Schmutzler, rolled out the truck this spring. Sargent has a degree in fashion design and marketing from Kansas State University. Schmutzler, a newly retired kindergarten teacher, was looking for a new career. The fashion accessories truck — a former Snap-on Tools truck that they dubbed Esmerelda — is decked out like a retail shop with decorative shelves and heating and cooling systems. But it didn’t require the investment of a brick-and-mortar store and the women could set their own hours. Brock Schmutzler, Kristi’s fiance and Janet’s son who is a business analyst, handles the operations side of the business and occasionally drives the truck.

They’ve taken it to First Friday art walks, private shopping events, festivals and also regularly parked in Westport on Saturdays over the summer and fall.

“But the weather was getting cooler so we weren’t getting as much foot traffic in the truck. Also, we wanted to get our name to a different market,” Sargent said.

The new holiday pop-up shop opened in mid-November on the lower level of Oak Park Mall across from the Microsoft store. It will be open through the end of the year.

The Jeweled Gypsy sells items by local and up-and-coming designers that are not offered in area retail shops, including pieces by Lily Dawson Designs, Nickel & Suede in Liberty, Sylvia Benson in Raleigh, N.C., and glassware by Easy, Tiger. Prices range from $5 earrings to $300 handbags. Most items are under $150.

The Jeweled Gypsy also is working with local companies to produce its own designs, like its new Kansas City Skyline necklace in sterling silver or in 14k gold plating over sterling.

The holiday pop-up hosts wine tastings with Paola’s Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Oak Park Mall also has holiday pop-ups selling such items as heating pads and warmers, flat irons, artworks, puzzles, holiday sweaters, toys, scarves, pillows and sheets, and wood figurines.

Openings

▪ Tyler Enders and Thomas McIntyre, two of the partners in Prairiefire’s Made in KC, are opening a new store in the center this week. Anaphora, a “modern, refined women’s clothing boutique” is taking a space at 5601 W. 135th St., Suite 2210.

▪ Nothing Bundt Cakes plans a Dec. 11 opening at 15151 W. 119th St., Olathe. The bakery chain specializes in bundt cakes ranging from bite-sized to tiered. Flavors include pecan praline, chocolate chocolate chip, lemon, white chocolate raspberry, cinnamon swirl and featured bundt cakes like gingerbread.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Fashion truck turns into holiday pop-up."