A hip, local addition to downtown retail

Downtown Moab has no shortage of businesses that sell souvenir T-shirts and outdoor gear.

But until this year, local business owner Faye Hutchins kept hearing from customers and friends who couldn’t find more fashionable or hip attire in town, so she decided to help fill that void.

In early March, Hutchins opened Indigo Alley at 77 N. Main St., bringing unique brands like Prairie Underground, Free People and TOMS Shoes to Moab.

Although the boutique and gift shop mainly carries women’s clothing, a small men’s section anchors the front of the store. Indigo Alley also carries jewelry, shoes, messenger bags, accessories and gifts that Hutchins selected with the broadest possible customer base in mind.

“It’s for locals; it’s for tourists; it’s for everyone,” she said.

Hutchins has been running businesses since she was 17 years old; she currently owns Spa Moab, which is located right next door to Indigo Alley. However, the new store marks her first venture into the clothing business, after much planning and preparation.

“I’ve thought about it for years, knowing that I personally needed it,” she said.

The boutique’s name pays homage to the space’s former life as a narrow alley where police often hung out, according to Hutchins. After she moved into the building, Hutchins renovated the interior to create a fun and hip shopping experience for customers.

“It’s not just about the clothing,” she said. “It’s about the environment you have when you walk in the door.”

She compares the in-person shopping experience favorably to online shopping, noting that customers can wander around and try things on for size.

“You don’t get that same experience as you do when you’re in a store,” she said.

Having said that, the boutique is about to launch a website, indigoalleyboutique.com, which should be up and running within the week. In the meantime, shoppers can also visit the store’s Facebook page at facebook.com/indigoalleymoab.

Hutchins encourages her customers to check in often, as Indigo Alley’s collection of spring and summer lines is always rotating.

“Our stock refreshes weekly,” she said.

She works with about 20 different vendors to keep the racks well-stocked. One of the more popular vendors is Prairie Underground, a women-owned Seattle company that crafts stylish clothing from sustainable materials, including organically grown cotton and hemp fabric.

Prairie Underground and other Indigo Alley vendors take their social responsibility seriously. TOMS Shoes, for instance, has what it calls a one-for-one deal.

“Any time you buy a pair of shoes, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need,” Hutchins said.

Likewise, a Denver jeweler who makes earrings out of recycled cans will donate a can of food to people in need for each purchase that someone makes.

Other unique items in the store include hand-screened men’s T-shirts, belt buckles crafted from seatbelts and doctored photographic artwork of famous 20th Century figures, including JFK, Audrey Hepburn, Johnny Cash and Marilyn Monroe. Their faces are readily familiar, although their visible body parts are not: They are covered in tattoos.

Moab resident Carol Stockham said she fell in love with the unique gifts she previously found next door at Spa Moab, so she was thrilled when Indigo Alley opened its doors for business. She said she loves the store’s selection of stylish attire.

“They offer things that you can’t find anywhere else in Moab,” Stockham said.

One comfortable outfit she bought there allows her to dress up – or dress down – in the same day.

“It’s basically like organic, wearable art,” she said.

Stockham said she’s grateful for the presence of businesses like Indigo Alley – along with the Rave’n Image and Moab Yoga – that allow her to keep her money in the community.

“It’s nice to have locally owned businesses (so) you don’t have to go out of town,” Stockham said. “I love supporting our local economy.”

Indigo Alley offers “desert chic” clothing and gifts

“It’s not just about the clothing … It’s about the environment you have when you walk in the door.”

For more information, call Indigo Alley at 435-355-0519.

Author: Rudy Herndon

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