Back-to-school shopping has already begun, and the spike in sales is reminding several small clothing retailers in Austin that re-location of their stores came at the right time.

Maurices and South Central Athlete are just two of the businesses that have moved to new locations within the past two years and, in turn, improved sales.

Business at Maurices, a women’s clothing store that caters toward “women with a 20-something attitude,” has been “great,” says Mandy DeVriendt, manager of the store in Austin.

The shop, which moved to the mall strip across from Wal-Mart about 14 months ago, has taken on more of a “feminine boutique-y feel,” a step up from its previous location at the Oak Park Mall, says DeVriendt.

South Central Athlete opened two years ago this fall at a new location on Fourth Street Northeast, a block its former site on Main Street. It has been in business for more than 30 years, selling a variety of sporting goods and apparel and doing screen printing for schools in Austin, Stewartville and Lyle.

Dylan Nagel of South Central Athlete says they “haven’t felt the effects of the economy,” partly because of moving.

“It was like a new opening,” he says.

“It reminds people we’re here.”

Both new openings were purely coincidental, and not planned in anticipation of the recession, which may have affected them otherwise.

The move “happened to work out at a good time,” Nagel says, as it helped to revitalize business just as the recession hit.

The downtown renovation project has helped business at South Central Athlete “a little bit,” but Nagel believes there still aren’t enough retail stores to bring people shopping downtown.

The shop’s attractive design has been another main draw for the store.

With two garage doors that open up to Fourth Avenue and an expansive main floor full of trendy apparel, the shop has taken on a “city” look, Nagel says, with a California-appeal you’d expect from a store at the Mall of America.

Maurices also improved its look, with colorful dressing rooms and a new layout.

DeVriendt believes it draws more women who are “destination shopping,” not just stopping by on a walk around the mall.

And what kind of trends will give them the most business this fall?

Maurices is selling a lot of bohemian-style clothing in earthy tones, as well as paper-boy hats and zip-up hoodies.

Long boards, hats and skate-shoes are popular among fall shoppers at South Central Athlete.

Nagel provided one reason the store has done so well despite the recession: “we try to carry unique stuff.”