By Stacia Kindler

And so it begins. Another somber countdown until next summer, as pools are covered and bathing suits and air conditioners are packed away. Don’t worry, though, the beach isn’t going anywhere. Look on the brighter side of the colder weather ~ September brings back some favorite New England treats, such as changing leaves, pumpkin-flavored everything and, of course, back-to-school shopping and fall fashions galore.

The fall season is notorious for pouring and piling new trends on us shoppers, just in time for us to frantically scour the mall for the last size in those perfect, yet pricy, boots. As exciting as that sounds, I, for one, am all for switching it up a bit when opportunity knocks ~ and it knocks conveniently and locally.

While researching last month’s column, I could not help but notice all of the local attention being received by Grime Clothing, the new and used clothing store located on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. Social media is acting as a godsend for this locally owned and operated business ~ the website itself a simple Tumblr page ~ and I was impressed with all of the local Instagrammers and Facebook users doing their promotional part with the supportive and adoring tag #grimegear, creating a community of local shoppers that simply cannot be ignored.

Worcester native Molly McGrath operates this new and used local goldmine, primarily on a buy/trade/sell basis, where customers not only have the exciting opportunity to sniff out one-of-a-kind treasures but also can trade their old stuff for new ~ how perfect is that? Paired with a healthy mix of new items, locally made jewelry and a kick-ass shoe wall, doing some of your back-to-school shopping locally is a laid back and fun change of pace.

Still, you ask, why shop local when I can just go to the mall? “Shopping local keeps my business alive!” McGrath said, as she described a visit to her store as not just a simple shopping session but an adventure and a unique experience.

With autumn just around the corner, McGrath is gearing up for the first back-to-school season at the Shrewsbury Street location, studying up on trends and blogs and looking forward to buying nothing but the best in clothing, shoes and accessories for months to come. Grime will be stacked with all of the fall favorites, including eclectic mixes of boots, jeans, flannels, blazers, blouses, tons of leggings and, of course, those hard-to-find necessities such as vintage T-shirts.

Nevertheless, inventory changes daily, so don’t wait to check this place out! A huge end-of-summer sale will held Sept. 7 to make way for all of the fun new fall finds. What better way to enjoy your last few days of summer than strolling the city for treasures? McGrath may even direct you to some other hidden spots in the area, as you continue your thrifty journey.

So ditch your old ways and don’t be afraid to get a little local this season … #grimegear.