Corey Bishop, owner of Refresh Clothing2 in Birmingham’s Five Points West community. (PROVIDED)
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Corey Bishop is not your average entrepreneur. That’s evident immediately upon entrance to his vibrant and inviting Five Points West flagship Refresh Clothing2 location at 2247 Bessemer Road, Birmingham 35208.
It’s there, where you may find him sitting outside of the store talking to passersby or greeting customers by name when they enter. Bishop has intricately woven the hard-learned lessons of his past into a pattern that has fashioned a new vision for his future while simultaneously doing the same for others with fashion as the common thread. Refresh Clothing2 takes a unique approach to fashion that centers on providing clothing as ready-made and interchangeable collections and offering styling that translates into trendsetting seasonal offerings for clients as young as six and as old as 75.
Bishop started Refresh Clothing2 selling clothes from the trunk of his car in 2011. That humble beginning evolved into a mobile clothing tour taking his items from neighborhood to neighborhood as a traveling “personal stylist”.
After overcoming hurdles, he eventually moved into his Five Points West-Ensley location in 2014, a few years after the departure of former Five Points West family-owned staple Music-n-More. Bishop is building on the strength of that foundation, his personal experience and wisdom from mentors like Eric Walker that inspired him to take the path to ownership.
“Having a mentor is important. I had to change my mindset to see myself as an entrepreneur and economic developer. Now, I’m set on training the next generation of entrepreneurs,” said Bishop.
Part of training the next generation comes from Corey’s continued training himself. He’s invested in himself by participating in many accelerators and opportunities through REV Birmingham and Central Alabama Redevelopment Alliance.
More recently, he’s been a participant in TeamUP, a business advisory services program hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance. Through TeamUP, the BBA armed local organizations with the skills and expertise to create engaged, effective and exceptional teams.
“The day you stop learning is the day you die. You always have to keep growing and learning. That’s why I wanted to get knowledge through TeamUP and the efforts of the Birmingham Business Alliance and partners like Prosper,” said Bishop.
Bishop grew up in Birmingham and is ready to see Birmingham grow. He wants the Five Points West community to become a destination and not just a drive through. He says he’s hopeful for the future and sensing that things are changing for the better.
“It’s in the air. Things are changing. The energy is changing. We’re getting a fitness center. We’re getting a food truck park. We have businesses and people coming back and businesses and people staying. It’s finally feeling stable here. We deserve that. I’m hopeful for the future,” said Bishop as he waved to a shopper strolling down the sidewalk of the bustling shopping center.
For more visit, Refresh Clothing2
