Ulterior Motive is the latest boutique to set up shop on the South Side. Founded by brother-sister team Brian and Kelly Freed, the 1,250 square-foot boutique opened last month at 1103 East Carson.

The twenty-something Freeds, who hope to “support the city’s evolution,” recently returned home to Pittsburgh after studying business and fashion design in Florida. “We happened to see the building--it looked beat up, but had beautiful, old wood floors, a basement and exposed brick,” says Brian Freed. “It’s a central location with tons of traffic--the trolley stops right in front.”

When selecting designers, Freed looked to places like Japan and New York City. Dubbed “part Beastie Boys with a twist of the Adams Family,” the shop carries limited run items by international clothing, sneaker and jewelry designers, along with art, furniture and notions.
 
“The concept is to not re-order or flood the market—we keep cycling through new deliveries,” says Freed. Prices range from $20-$140 for t-shirts, $45-$600 for jeans, and $100-$240 for sneakers. Designers include Married to the Mob, Futura Laboratories and Kenzo Minami.

Artist Gavin Benjamin designed the shop using recycled tiles and building products from ARTEMIS Environmental Building Materials, bleachers culled from Construction Junction and hand-printed wallpaper.

“The Southside is a great place to express yourself—it’s always been artsy,” says clothing designer Kelly Freed. “It’s the perfect place for our clientele.”

Writer: Jennifer Baron
Source: Brian and Kelly Freed

Image courtesy of Brian Freed