Stepping into Midtown’s Urban Snob, I felt transported to a New York City boutique.
From the outside, the store seems like your regular accessory store, but, inside, each surface told a story—from the landscape paintings and hand-painted desk made by an employee to the message wall hidden in the changing room.
“[Fashion and jewelry] was something that was always fun for me. It was a way for me to play up my personality,” said Urban Snob’s owner Dimitra Diggs. “I was just an insurance broker before doing this so, you know, in such a conservative environment, fashion was just a way for me to be more creative like my personality.”
Five years ago, Urban Snob opened with just a few accessories and “funky” handbags. Today, the store has developed into a full-on boutique with clothing to match its bold accessories, handbags (one filled with a rubber chicken and fries), swimsuits, shoes and a new line of velvet matte lipsticks.
Diggs is one busy woman. Besides running Urban Snob, she has a full-time job as an insurance broker, spends time with her family, and travels to Los Angeles and New York to buy pieces from her trusted vendors.
“I can tell by looking at the quality of the item, the uniqueness of it,” she said. “Is it something that is too trendy, like something that will only be in style for a while? Sometimes, I might get something just for fun.”
Cool Kids
Urban Snob’s store manager, Alexus Miller, said her favorite thing about the store is the atmosphere and the customers it brings in.
“A lot of people who perform at Stallions and the drag shows shop here, so that’s fun,” she said. “We get younger people, we get older women. It’s all a different mix, but all the people that come here are—cool. The cool kids shop here.”
It seems the cool kids work there, too. Though Urban Snob is their first priority, employees each have their own side artistry.
Miller, a self-titled “snob,” has a makeup business on the side. Josh Ari Selvey (the “urban” to Miller’s snob) is a visual artist and is responsible for the painting on the store’s checkout desk.
Diggs also partners with ResCare, a service provider dedicated to helping low-income communities, and hires their students who match Urban Snob’s style.
Staying afloat for five years may seem like an achievement itself for a boutique in Harrisburg. Consistency, perseverance and faith are what kept Urban Snobs’ doors open, said Diggs.
To mark the milestone, the Urban Snob team recently celebrated with “Snob Fest”—a beached-themed festival thrown in the back of the store, the release of a documentary about the shop that has amassed 11,000 views, and a partnership with two woman-owned businesses to give customers a new experience.
In the beginning of the year, Urban Snob welcomed Cachet Adams of Pampered Peacock Vintage and Sheena Lansanah, owner of She is Shic shoes.
A decade ago, Adams actually had a shop in Urban Snobs’ current storefront. Her first year of business proved successful, but in the second year, the recession hit, and customers became scarce, sending her business to a screeching halt, she said.
After shutting down the store, Adams laid low for a few years. Raising her son and working a full-time job, she still managed a few popup shops and home appointments. With her life coming back into balance, she was re-launching Pampered Peacock when she received a phone call from Diggs.
“When I first decided to open, she was a resource I sought after,” Diggs said. “I wanted to know what worked for her, what were her challenges, and what to expect.”
From their first meeting, the women immediately clicked and decided to add a section of Pampered Peacock Vintage into Urban Snob.
“Dimi is such a cool, down-to-earth, selfless, stylish, effortlessly fly chick,” Adams said. “Sometimes, I feel like she can’t see herself the way that I see her. She’s so sweet and so giving, it’s disgusting, but you just want to support someone like that.”
Sheena Lansanah met Diggs at a family barbecue. Lansanah thought Diggs would be the perfect person to speak at her up-and-coming Women’s Empowerment event. From there, their business relationship and friendship blossomed.
“Working with a friend isn’t hard when it comes to working with Dimi,” said Lansanah. “We blend well because there is no hidden agenda. I want to see her do well, and she wants to see me do well.”
She is Shic’s product line—transparent pumps, fur-covered slides and other unique shoes spewing with rhinestone and glitter—matches the tone of Urban Snob.
“I would describe our shoes as sophisticated chic, hence the name,” said Lansanah. “I’m very much a conservative woman, but I also like to be fly and sensual.”
Together, the young, black, female entrepreneurs empower one another while creating a successful and stylish store.
“It’s important to give these authentic images of black female unity because it contradicts the narrative that is put out there about us,” Adams said. “It’s so untrue that it is almost heartbreaking sometimes.”
This type of unity makes the pressure easier to handle, Diggs said
“We know how challenging it is, and it is frustrating, and those times when you need someone that can understand what you’re going through,” she said. “So, it’s good to have that support system, and I’m glad that I was able to build with this group of women that are all supporting each other.”
According to Lansanah, there is always a seat at the table.
“We’re stronger together,” she said. “I feel like if we can start to understand that and start that movement, we can get a lot further.”
The Urban Snob is located at 1006 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.theurbansnob.com, the Facebook page or call 717-298-0434.
Author: Yaasmeen Piper
