End of an Era: Traditionally Trendy’s Owner on Retirement and 31 Years in Hanover

Digital Editor of The Dartmouth Review Lintaro Donovan (TDR) interviewed Rocio Menoscal in person on October 5, 2022. Menoscal is the owner and operator of the Hanover institution and gift shop known as Traditionally Trendy—famous for its promise of “Officially Licensed Dartmouth Merchandise.” Menoscal recently announced her intention to close the store in November 2022.

TDR: How would you describe your life story? What led you to come to Hanover and start this store?

Menoscal: I was born in Ecuador. I came to the United States about 55 years ago. The first thing I wanted to do here was work for myself because I don’t like to work for other people. So I had a few stores in New York. I went little by little until I had enough for one store and then the next. I was at the World Trade Center with the concession push carts. Then I had one store in the World Financial Center. After that, I had another store on Columbus Avenue. 

So that was 1989 or 90. In 1991, my son went to Albany for college. I went to visit him, but the only car I had was my van. It was filled with sweaters—sweaters handmade in Ecuador. So we went to Albany, and then we drove to Burlington to have breakfast there. When I saw the people there with interesting sweaters, I went to the stores and sold sweaters to them wholesale. After that, we kept driving. 

We passed by Hanover Main Street, and there was a football game. I told my son to go and park the car so that I could see why a store was going out of business. It was this ski shop that was going out of business. I went to the owner, and I asked him why he’s going out of business. I mean, everybody was carrying bags with merchandise.

I ended up renting the store. When my son came back from parking the car, he already knew what I had done. I rented the store for a month and then another month and another month. 

TDR: And you just kept going? 

Menoscal: Yeah, selling sweaters—wool sweaters—to everybody until we couldn’t sell any more sweaters because everybody had one. Then I decided to open the boutique [Traditionally Trendy].

After that, the five years that I had the store passed by and we came to this [current location] on the corner. My son went back to medical school in Albany, and I decided to stay another five years until he graduated. Now it’s been 31 years.

TDR: When you were in Ecuador, did you have any dreams of opening up a clothing store in the United States?

Menoscal: No. I used to have a drug store in Ecuador, but I never really thought about coming to the United States. When I was young, I was offered the chance to come, but I didn’t. Later on, however, I decided to come to the United States. It was like a fever. Everybody came.

TDR: What led you to the decision to retire? 

Menoscal: I have five grandchildren, two sons, and they live in New Jersey and New York. My home is in New York, on Long Island. I decided to retire because I travel every week, going to visit my sons and my grandchildren. It’s a five-hour drive. So I decided that it’s time to retire. I hope I can actually retire, but people like me will never retire. We always work. 

TDR: How do you hope the Dartmouth Community remembers Traditionally Trendy?

Menoscal: The Dartmouth Community and the Hanover community were all so supportive of my business. They have been telling me that they will remember me, that they are sorry we are going. I have had people I don’t even know send me flowers. 

People will also always remember Traditionally Trendy because we have good prices and good merchandise. 

TDR: What has been your favorite thing about running the store?

Menoscal: My favorite thing about running this store here in Hanover is the honesty, the kindness of the people. I realize it’s because most of the people who go to Dartmouth are very educated people. They don’t steal. In New York, we have many, many problems. You have to have a lot of people working in the store, watching people. Here, you don’t. Maybe that is what I will remember most about Hanover—the sense of security. I feel secure here. I don’t feel like what you feel in a big city.

TDR: What has been the worst thing about running a store like this?

Menoscal: Nothing. Everything has been wonderful. Honestly. This store was made with students. All the students, they always work at my store. During the pandemic, we didn’t have the students here to work. That was the part that I really hated, working by myself. I worked 24/7. Nine to eight—those were my hours. It was crazy.

TDR: Have any famous students or visitors worked at your store or come to your store?

Menoscal: During election years, politicians used to walk down Main Street and come inside. I have seen all of them.

TDR: Is there anything else you’d like to say about your retirement?

Menoscal: It’s been good to run this store.

Even when I missed my children, even when I lived alone here, I was always happy to be here. Traditionally Trendy offered so many things, so much merchandise. I had everything, and people responded. It was good.