By Claire Ala
Looking for that one-of-a-kind item to add to your wardrobe? Look no further than Grey Dog, a vintage boutique, to find something extraordinary. Grey Dog has provided a wonderful collection of clothing and other fashion items since its beginnings, and now with a new store on College Avenue, the selection and atmosphere keeps getting better!
Molly Clark, owner of Grey Dog, opened her new location in mid-December at 824 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville, right down the street from the old Yacht Club spot.
Grey Dog first opened in November 2010, residing in Lucy Pearl, a renovated Airstream trailer. Clark came back to her hometown of Fayetteville in order to open a boutique, realizing a career in advertising was not her passion. After two years, Clark was forced to move the mobile boutique because of city regulations. Although Clark believes Fayetteville is a great market for mobile businesses, she expressed concern with the city developing a better time limit for mobile businesses, specifically allowing longer time in one spot.
So, instead of moving her mobile trailer to a different city, she decided to stay and expand. Her boutique’s updated location is a lovely improvement.
Clark and her friend, Taylor Wood, worked together to restore a 1940s building into a pretty boutique.
The building is based on an open concept design. They knocked down eight rooms to accomplish their open concept goal. The duo also kept the original wood flooring, but it took nine days to polish. Another design aspect hard to ignore are the large windows allowing natural light to brighten the room.
“We knocked down all the walls to open it up to where we can have art shows and fundraisers, or it can just be rented out for an event,” Clark explained.
The new location is a big change from Lucy Pearl. There is plenty of space to walk around and shop, including a large deck for event purposes. The spacious layout allows room for an assortment of clothes and other accessories to be neatly displayed. There was even a comfy couch for a reluctant shopping companion to sit on.
Space isn’t the only addition to Grey Dog. There’s a larger inventory and variety of clothing and knick-knacks, including soon-to-come housewares and men’s clothing.
“I try to find pieces that are special and have a lot of detail. … You’ll stand out,” Clark said.
Clark travels far and wide to bring back her store’s treasures, setting aside 12 days a year to travel abroad to search for unique pieces. She puts a spin on vintage goods because she tries to find flawless pieces that can be modernized. Clark works with a seamstress to update the clothing for today’s woman, such as shortening a hem or altering a waistline.
Grey Dog is a nice change from the typical girly boutique. The store isn’t cluttered and the simple, clean layout won’t make you feel overwhelmed with choices. Shop hours are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
