When men in their lives lamented the lack of interesting and affordable clothing in Bozeman, Nancy Mahoney, and Shara Bailey decided the time was right for a fresh take on men’s fashion. Allōy was their answer. Offering a range of casual streetwear and formal attire, Allōy is for customers seeking reasonably priced clothing and accessories that are comfortable and just a bit out of the ordinary.
When Hattie Rex came up for sale, Nancy Mahoney (owner of Mōka Boutique) jumped at the opportunity. Located at 18 South Willson, the Hattie Rex storefront was just around the corner from Mōka, so it seemed meant to be. “When I learned the store was for sale, I enlisted the help of my son, Aidan, and long-time friend, Shara Bailey, to get the business off the ground.” Aidan is in his early twenties and has a great eye for fashion, so bringing him on was a “no-brainer.” Both professional anthropologists, Shara and Nancy met in graduate school nearly thirty years ago and their bond became indelible while training and running the NYC Marathon in 1997. Nancy recalls when she “called Shara to see if she was interested in partnering up to open Allōy. The answer was an enthusiastic YES!” Shara explains that she “has been spending part of each year in Montana for more than a decade,” and that she and Nancy “had always had entrepreneurial plans on the back burner—now they’re on high heat!”
The hard-working trio has strived to find new and innovative brands that reinforce their mission of ethically-sourced attire. They also offer high-end reclaimed and vintage pieces that reinforce their eco-conscious mission. Although modest in size, Allōy offers customers a wide range of items: from bow ties to beard oil, and wing tips to wallets. Shara and Nancy note that “whenever possible, we carry locally made products, including art, jewelry, candles, and our own trademarked ‘Yellowstoner’ hoodies.”
Walk into Allōy and you’ll be met with a super-chill vibe. Customers love the welcoming atmosphere, which Nancy and Shara note are “largely due to our amazing staff.” They observe that “the store attracts a wonderfully diverse range of shoppers in terms of both age and gender.” In this way, Allōy fills an important gap for downtown shoppers: a gender-free approach to fashion. In fact, it was the idea of melding together people from all walks of life that led to the name Allōy: the combining of elements, which results in fluidity and greater strength. Andrea More, Mōka’s Operations Manager, came up with the idea and explains, “it was a nod to Hattie’s jewelry and a way to convey our belief that fashion should be less gendered” than the way it is commonly perceived.
