Shopping Goes Mobile in Columbus

First, the trend was food trucks. Now, it's retail's turn. Here's a sampling of Columbus' mobile boutiques.

After receiving several requests to bring the candle-making process to parties and festivals, Steve Weaver and his crew decided to create a mobile storefront that will allow customers to get the full Candle Lab experience.

Find it: Moonlight Market, festivals, by appointment

High-end women's clothing retailer Thread uses a 1972 Airstream trailer to bring style to customers. The plush mobile boutique-complete with hardwood floors-is stocked with a pared-down (though still substantial) assortment of dresses, handbags, shoes and more.

Find it: Festivals, by appointment

When classic-shirt retailer Josh Harden set up shop in a 1968 Airstream in 2011, he was the only one in Columbus selling clothing from a truck. "It was difficult for customers to comprehend," Harden says. "They didn't know if they were allowed on to shop." Today he uses the trailer as an extension of his online and brick-and-mortar presence.

Find it: Gallery Hop, Moonlight Market, ComFest

From Columbus' slim-suit tastemakers, the Pursuit mobile shop-outfitted from a potato chip truck-includes an assortment of pant and jacket separates. "We'd been daydreaming about this since the beginning," founder Nate DeMars says. "Our goal is to make suit-buying as easy as possible; this helps us do that."

Find it: Moonlight Market, by appointment