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Shop Girls

From Clutch Bags to Scented Candles, Alley Boutique Is the Ultimate Glam Gift Shop

Article by Joanne Drilling

Photography by Alicia + Will Photography

Originally published in Loveland Lifestyle

When Janel Thompson, Debby Walker and Ann Marie Toney opened Alley Boutique on June 9, they were the first of the downtown Loveland businesses to re-emerge after the 2017 fire. Debby and Janel were the original owners of mobile boutique Cincy Fashion Wheels; Ann Marie joined the business ahead of the re-opening. 

Tucked into a former storage area adjacent to Montgomery Cyclery, Alley Boutique is a jewel box of affordable clothing, gifts and accessories. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, lending the wood-paneled room a feminine twinkle, and the ever-present laughter of the owners is infectious. 

“Five years ago, Debby and I decided we wanted to open a female-owned, faith-based company ... and we looked at a couple different options. While we weren’t initially ready for a brick-and-mortar shop, I had noticed in my volunteer work (with CityLink through Crossroads Church) how getting clothes together for interviews really changed people’s demeanor.” –Janel Thompson

“I saw a commercial for Smith Trailers in Sharonville one night when I was watching HGTV. I went the next day, and we ended up buying a 6-by-12 landscaping trailer. We had electricity and a fitting room and could go anywhere and do shows. We met Gina DeBell at our first show and ended up renting from her for our first brick-and-mortar,” Debby explains.

When it comes to selecting merchandise, Debby and Janel often defer to Ann Marie’s skills as a “fashionista.” Her keen eye for items that will interest a variety of shoppers makes the store a favorite with younger as well as older women.

“Sometimes we’ll purchase what the customers have asked for ... but we also try to have a little something for everyone. Purses, soaps and scarves have a wide appeal,” Ann Marie says. 

Alley Boutique

201 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland

513.254.3459, AlleyBoutique.com