Goth and Harajuku-inspired store Hiss Off set to open in Carytown

Hiss Off is opening in Carytown on Jul. 1.Photos courtesy Sophie Smith

Tucked into a corner of Carytown, a shop with neon pink walls and some goth influence is set to open its doors next week.

Hiss Off, a goth and Harajuku-inspired clothing and vintage décor store will open at 3122 W. Cary St. on July 1. 

Owner Sophie Smith originally hails from southwest Virginia, and attended Radford University, where she received a BFA in graphic design. During her college years, Smith began selling vintage home goods and clothing online, running a shop on the reselling website Depop for around four years. 

Upon moving to Richmond in 2021, Smith began working as a graphic designer at West Marshall Street’s World Art Group and selling some of her personal art at local markets, all while thinking about opening her own shop. 

“I always had the craving to do a physical store, whether in the arts capacity or clothing, so I decided to combine the two of them. I felt like it was time to take that step,” Smith said. 

When it opens next week in its 750-square-foot space up the stairs behind Can Can in Cary Court, Hiss Off will be Smith’s full-time gig. 

Hiss Off owner Sophie Smith.

The shop has floor to ceiling hot pink walls, cheetah print details and large cat art installations and other touches that are meant to feel like a “spectacle” for customers, Smith said. Customers are greeted with a selection of platform heels, studded boots, bedazzled graphic t-shirts and other eclectic style elements. 

“I wanted to create an experience. Shopping online is so prevalent and so easy now, so I wanted to make there be a reason to come in-store,” she said. 

Hiss Off will offer a mix of vintage and new clothing pieces inspired by goth and alternative styles, ’90s and early 2000s clothing and Japanese Harajuku, a colorful and eclectic style that takes after the residents of Tokyo’s Harajuku district. 

Hiss Off will also carry vintage household items and artwork from both local and non-local independent artists. Quirky items like vintage teapots turned into wind chimes and other small artwork will be for sale.

The shop’s mainstream brands will include Coach, Dooney & Bourke and Juicy Couture, and will also have pieces from more fringe, alternative brands such as U.K.-based The Ragged Priest, Fiorucci and Miss Me. 

Smith said that while Carytown has plenty of vintage stores to choose from, it’s difficult to find more goth and alternative brands nearby. 

The shop offers a range of goth, alternative, Harajuku, Y2K and other eclectic styles.

“I feel like there’s a big content gap. I have a lot of retail of some brands from the UK and different, alternative clothing brands. There’s a huge demand in Richmond but there’s not always ease of access,” Smith said. 

The space, which has been vacant for several years, was previously a massage parlor. Smith spent around $10,000 to outfit the space after signing a lease in March. 

“I’ve filled every square inch of it,” Smith said. “It’s really eccentric, and sort of a one-of-a-kind, New York City type clothing store. It’s something that is going to definitely be memorable.” 

Hiss Off’s regular operating hours will be Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. 

The store is next to Taou Yoga, which recently expanded with a new location in Forest Hill.

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