Photo by Ron Burkett.
West Avenue
One of the city’s newest and youngest business owners, Ashlyn West, just opened her namesake West Avenue boutique downtown.
Rough-cut wood and smooth industrial metal effortlessly come together inside Trussville’s newest boutique, West Avenue, much like the outfits hanging from its walls.
Owners Mary and Ashlyn West, a mother-daughter team, capitalized on their dream of opening a boutique in their hometown, debuting at their location on Cedar Lane in early July.
“It’s always been something we wanted to do,” said Ashlyn West, a 2014 graduate of Hewitt-Trussville High School. “We’ve talked about it for years, and one day, just decided to do it.”
She attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham for one year and has worked part-time as a dental assistant when needed, but fashion is her true calling, Ashlyn West said. It’s a family affair at West Avenue, as her sister, who just graduated from Hewitt in May, also works at the boutique part-time.
“We’re her support group,” said Mary West, who also works from home as a freight broker. “I work here part-time and do the groundwork. Ashlyn runs the store. Her dad is her biggest fan; he’s so proud of her.”
Selling everything from clothing, jewelry, shoes, fun accessories and gift items, what’s special about their business is their laid-back atmosphere and their eagerness to carve a personal service niche in the community, Ashlyn West said.
“I love helping people to find their perfect outfit for an occasion,” she said. “I also try to appeal to every age group. My sister will come in and buy something, but my grandmother shops here, too.”
To find their items, the Wests shop the grand-scale Atlanta market held a few times a year and peruse the online market every day. Local artists have also contacted the Wests to see if they will house their items.
“This business is important to Ashlyn because she’s always been a driven, determined person,” Mary West said. “I’m the easygoing one, but she’s more dedicated and such a leader. Not too many 20-year-olds spend this much time working.”
West Avenue boutique is open six days a week, and it will extend the hours for customers if needed.
Ashlyn West also fuels the creative side of the business, Mary West said. After countless nights spent laboring over the design of the store’s interior, a sketch was put together. Now, racks of clothes hang from the walls painted in calming colors by her family and friends.
“Everything in here was either handwritten or built by Ashlyn or a friend,” Mary
West said.
Her business already is growing as she has recently hired one employee, a recent graduate of Pinson Valley High School.
West Avenue Boutique is at 77 Cedar Lane, Suite 101. For more information, call 655-0587 or go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/westaveboutique, Instagram at @westaveboutique, or email them at westavenueboutique@gmail.com.
