This downtown shop gives WVU fashion students the hands-on experience they need to survive in the industry.
Looking for unique pieces that scream sustainability? Check out The Retail Lab at 201 High Street. Morgantown’s newest consignment store is operated by Elizabeth Shorrock, a WVU teaching assistant professor of fashion design and merchandising, and Daphne Caroll, a 2024 WVU graduate.
The duo wanted students to experience the fashion world beyond the classroom. In the store, students create window displays, rearrange store layout, and price pieces based on public demand and trends, all for class credit.
“Beth really wanted it to be an experimental learning space for students—space up front to work and manage a store as well as classroom space in the back to learn about the concepts they are putting into action,” Caroll says. “The education is great, but being able to apply it in real time is the most important part.”
Shorrock started the initiative in 2021 with grants through Main Street Morgantown, Huntington Bank, Truist, and WVU. The space opened to the public in June 2025.
Caroll describes it as “eclectic,” with something for every shopper. “Seeing a lot of different people come in and finding pieces that speak to them and that we know can be loved for years beyond, that’s really important for us,” she says. “We want to create a space that is not only for students, but also for people in the community to find pieces that can be cherished.”
All pieces in the shop are either donated or consigned, and customers can receive payouts when their pieces sell.
Caroll is grateful for the community’s support through the opening process and hopes the store makes a mark on Morgantown for years to come. “There are a lot of hands that go into making a great space, and we were so blessed to have so many people putting in money, time, and energy to get the space open,” she says.
The Retail Lab is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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