What Is It Like Owning A Vintage Boutique

I sit down with Alexia Maldonado, owner of I Fell in Love Here, vintage clothing boutique, to talk about what it really takes to run a curated vintage boutique in downtown El Paso. We get into sourcing 90s and Y2K pieces, helping customers find their style faster, and balancing a vintage store with an online clothing brand. 

• Alexia’s path from EPCC fashion design to opening a boutique 
• Why 90s and Y2K vintage feels personal and sells well 
• How thrifting knowledge starts with textiles, labels, and quality 
• Using stories to add meaning and value to secondhand clothing 
• Letting go of clothes with a simple one-in, one-out closet rule 
• Personal styling sessions, Pinterest mood boards, and fast try-ons 
• Why some people struggle to shop and how we guide them 
• Relocating from Horizon to downtown for access and foot traffic 
• Choosing an in-person retail experience over e-commerce for vintage 
• Building Amaldeux, pivoting from New York to LA manufacturing 
• Designing with sustainability, durability, and timeless details in mind 
• Dream cities for expansion like New York and Paris 

Names mentioned: https://www.instagram.com/alexiamaldonado

https://www.instagram.com/ifellinlovehere

https://www.instagram.com/amaldeux?igsh=eXZma201MWtqeWVt

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Transcript

Meet The Vintage Boutique Owner

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Hi, welcome back to That's the V. Today I am with a very special and cool person. And today's topic is what is it like owning a vintage boutique? And we have Alexia here to talk about her experience and what it is like.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Hi, my name is Alexia Melonado. I'm the owner of I Fell in Love Here, a curated vintage boutique that specializes in 90s and Y2K vintage. And we're located in downtown El Paso. Very cool.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

So I really wanted to meet with you because I wanted to know your journey. I know like you do a lot of fashion stuff. And I've seen you do design and then now having this new location of your shop, but how did it all start?

From Fashion School To Storefront

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Um I've always had an interest in fashion since I was really young. Um I didn't know what direction specifically I wanted to go in until I was about to graduate high school. And so I decided to study fashion design at EPCC here in El Paso, and that's when I kind of gained more knowledge and experience about the industry. Um just like a general point of view of what I was getting myself into. And as I approached like the end of my schooling there, it's kind of when I realized that I wanted to have a career. Um, and that's when I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer, and later on is when I actually opened the vintage boutique. So after I had established the brand.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

I feel like that step is so brave, yeah, and also at such a young age, yeah. Um, and going for it because I feel like a lot of people who wanted to get into fashion, maybe it's like a thought in their heads, but it's like, how do you even start? But you had like your base in EPCC. Um, and I mean what inspired you to open a boutique like a vintage boutique?

Falling For 90s And Y2K

SPEAKER_00 2:04

I've always had interest in uh vintage clothing secondhand, it's just such a unique experience. I started thrifting when I was in high school and I became addicted to it very quickly. It's just like a whole other level of clothing that doesn't exist nowadays. So once you become familiar with the textiles and like the difference in qualities, and same with like clothing brands and labels that don't exist anymore today, um it just fascinated me so much. And I had always been told that I had a good eye for thrifting. So I figured why not do something a little bit more curated that people because not everyone loves to thrift. So it's hard for a lot of people, and they don't have like the time or the energy to be in the thrift store for hours. So for me, I dedicated a lot of my time to just like going through the racks at thrift stores and going to every single thrift store in the city to find out, you know, what what I could bring to my own business. And eventually I developed like this identity, this brand that I wanted to specialize in, like 90s and Y2K, because that was something that felt near and dear to my heart. Being, you know, I grew up in the early 2000s, and it just brings me like this this core memory when I'm sourcing things, and I've kind of expanded a little bit. I've been doing a little bit more in 80s, 70s, a little bit more like true vintage items, but I'm still very um true to the 90s and Y2K, and so that's just how that started.

SPEAKER_01 3:30

I love that you have um like a specific era that you focus on because you're right, like when I go thrifting, I do feel like overwhelmed very fast. It's a lot, but I do love the process. I feel like the process of finding a gem or something that you know no one else is going to have because it's been ages, and you know, like the life that it has or the life that it had, and now how you can bring it a new

Selling Pieces With Real Stories

SPEAKER_01 4:01

one, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

You give it a new life, and that's the fun thing that I have like telling my customers, like, oh, I got this from this place and a lady owned it, and you know, all these things that you can like add to, and not only does it like make it cooler, but like it sells it more, you know? It makes you want it more, it brings value to add it.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

I even uh I once met this also business owner for vintage clothing that she was very much uh I mean, I think she still has it, but she was in that moment very much like that in her way of sourcing things, but everything had a story. Yeah, like a very specific story, and she used to be a manager, I think it was for like Neiman Marcus, like back in the 80s or something like that. So she was very like, oh, I used to have like I used to wear these, like some of them were like their own personal collection. So have you ever had or sold anything from yours that like you've owned, and now like you know it doesn't like work for you anymore and you're putting it out there as well.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

Yeah, all the time, actually. I go through well, I think before my style was a little bit more uh youthful, and now like as I'm gotten into my mid-20s, mid to late 20s, I kind of want to be a little bit more intentional with like what I'm wearing. Also, something that's very important to me is you don't have to categorize your style as one specific category. I think that's the fun part on like maturing in the in the fashion sense and developing your own style is incorporating all the different styles into your wardrobe. So all the time I go through my closet, and if I haven't worn it in a while and I know that I probably won't, it goes it goes into the shop. So that's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

Yeah the rotation of it and the second life, and I mean it's good for the earth.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

So I do have an emotional attachment to like a lot of things. So there's times where I want to sit on it for a little bit longer and I'm like, oh, just one more month, one more month. But then like if I haven't worn it, it's time, you know.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

Yeah, no, I feel like we really want to hold to those pieces because uh I feel like you same thing, like you said, getting older and then looking at pieces that I used to love, and then now it's like I haven't worn that literally in five years kind of thing. But it's just like it brings that core memory and it's like it's just the emotional attachment to

Letting Go Without Regret]

SPEAKER_01 6:24

it. So, what would you recommend on people who have that issue? I would I don't want to say like problem, although it could be a problem. Like you very much like hoard all of these items, but what's something that has helped you kind of let go of pieces?

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Well, what works for me is when oh, my closet is jam-packed, like I don't have space for anything anymore. So if I do decide to buy something, I have to let something go so that it stays, you know, uneventful.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

Yeah, that's such a good one. Yeah. I I had heard that one before and I feel like I need to start following it. Yeah, like uh, but I'm also very like, I see something that I love and it's like I want

Styling Customers With A Quick Interview

SPEAKER_01 7:08

it. Um I also wanted to ask you like, do you also style your customers, or is it something that you kind of like uh like let people shop or do you like guide them? What is the process here?

SPEAKER_00 7:23

I mean, it really depends on the customer. When I started, I fell in love here. It was strictly like a private showroom. So it was based off of personal styling sessions for my clients. And that's how I built my clientele. Um, that's when I started getting the repeat customers once they felt, you know, comfortable and they knew what they were getting themselves into, that everything was like curated and I made the experience easier for them. Um, I would actually ask people to make appointments and then send me a Pinterest mood board with what they were looking for. Yeah. And so when they would come in, I would have all these different options like ready for them, and they would just need to try everything on. If they wanted to take another quick glance around the store, then they could do that. And then ultimately, like it just made everything 10 times faster because not a lot of people know how to shop either. That's something that I've learned. Um, a lot of people have difficulty not only with the styling, but like shopping in general is really hard for some people. Um, that's never been an issue for me. So you're like easy peasy.

SPEAKER_01 8:15

I'm like, that's a piece of cake.

Why Shopping Feels So Hard

SPEAKER_01 8:17

Why do you think it's hard for some people to shop? Like, what's one of the biggest issues you've encountered?

SPEAKER_00 8:22

Um, I just think, I mean, for me personally, I grew up shopping all the time with my mom. And so I think it's just something that I developed an eye for at a very young age. But I think the problem for most people is they don't see the vision with a lot of pieces. So I could put out this really cool blouse and I'm I can imagine a million ways to style it in my head, and they look at it and they're like, yikes, that's a lot of print or that's a lot of color. And so they're just even scared to approach it. Okay. Um, so when people do ask me, you know, do you have something that would go with this? I kind of do like an interview with them. I'll be like, okay, well, where do you work? Um, do you prefer comfort or do you prefer, you know, looking stylish? You know, it it's just a lot of things that go into it. Once I kind of um have gone through all the questions with them, I'm able to um curate like an outfit that's personalized for their lifestyle. And um that's for the customers that that do approach me with that. But other than that, if people are just in here browsing, like I don't push it, it would just everyone shops at their own pace.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

So yeah, no, and I love that because you have both of like you do your thing, but you can also help out and you have the knowledge of how to do so. I'm like, I'm here if anyone needs help, and I'll always let them know that. So I love that. Um, and also how you said that you started with creating kind of like these mood boards for them and setting out what they need according to their needs, too. Um, because I feel like sometimes we forget that we need our clothing to be functional, right? Uh rather than just like looking good. But if you look good and not feel comfortable, you're not necessarily gonna look your best.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

It doesn't feel good like on the inside.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

So um, do you still do that for customers? I think specific ones and more specifically my friends that are more comfortable with me, it's not something that I've kind of continued to put out there um just because we're now in like a more central area and before my location was kind of hidden um before I moved to downtown. Um so that was kind of like my selling point was like the styling sessions, the styling sessions, and now it's kind of just like a an overall boutique, but I still love to do it.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

So, like if anyone wants to reach out to you and uh like get that advice, do they just message the store page?

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Yeah, they can message me on the store page and you know we'll go from there.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

Yeah, okay. Well, good to know anyone that's watching or listening to us that wants to reach out and have that because that's I feel like such a good like pro point for you that you are personable like that. Yeah.

Relocating From Horizon To Downtown

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Um, and I know you just mentioned that you used to have another location before this one. So, how long was that ago? And I mean, how long has like I feel your whole process been out there?

SPEAKER_00 11:04

Um, so the store I started back in February of 2023, and I was in another location in Horizon for almost three years. So it was maybe like two years and nine months or something like that, and I didn't have the intention to relocate. It's just something that like fell into my lap, and I was like, you know what, it's time. I was wanting to do something more progressive from there, and I kind of felt like I was at a point where I was stuck. Okay, and so that kind of helped me push myself and put myself more out there, and it's been amazing. I've been downtown for almost six months, so it's been so much fun.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

I love that, and also like how fast it has moved. And um, I know I had seen you on social media on your other other location, uh, but for me personally, it was pretty far.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

Um yeah, that's another reason I decided to relocate with that exact feedback from everyone. And it was convenient for me because I live on the east side, but downtown, everyone comes downtown. It's yeah, there's a lot of stuff.

SPEAKER_01 12:06

Central, and I mean everyone's gonna pass sooner or later. So you definitely have such a good location now, I

Choosing A Physical Store Experience

SPEAKER_01 12:14

feel. So now I want to get a little bit more technical on um, I know you told me about like the process of how you started, but also like having a physical store, I think, is also such a big decision to make. And nowadays I feel like everything's very digital, everyone's doing like their shopping is experience through like websites or social media. Uh so for you, what made you decide that you wanted a physical location and what was the process to make that happen?

SPEAKER_00 12:51

So I never started out online in terms of like the vintage store. It was never even a thought in my head for me personally. I don't enjoy doing like all the e-commerce, taking photos, descriptions is like a chore for me. Yeah. So, and and like shopping is an experience in itself. You need to try things on, you need to feel the material, you need to make sure it looks good on you. So, I mean, it it just wasn't really something that I even considered. Um, aside from that, I wanted to make it more than just a boutique. I wanted it to feel like the whole experience. I wanted it to transport you back to the 90s and Y2K era with like the music that I play and the colors and the decorations and stuff like that. So that was just an immediate thought that I had when I opened.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

That's I feel like uh especially for vintage clothing. You have such a point on you need to feel everything. Like, uh, I don't think I ever shop online for like thrifting or vintage. I'm like, I need to see it, I need to feel it. I like also like want to see how it feels on my body. Right. Uh, and I feel like a lot of the like shopping experience has been lost for some time, even not just for vintage, but in general. Yeah, and I hate it because I do love like going out to shop, right? I think that needs to make a comeback, and I do think it's happening slowly but surely.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

I think it will progress because online shopping is really hard. You have to like return and exchange, and then they charge you for everything, and now there's a restocking fee, so yeah, and it's become a tour, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:27

And I feel like it can get like so overwhelming too. You see so many things at once, and it's like, just give me like some particular items that I can pick out from, like how you do it with some of your clients. Um, but back to your store. So, what was the process on getting that physical?

Pop-Ups Traffic And Affordable Rent

SPEAKER_00 14:47

So, I had actually had a pop-up next door at the Artspace Gallery, and they do like a lot of communal events and stuff like that. And I really ended up liking the location because there's just like traffic passing all day, and there's a lot of cool restaurants around here. Um, so much fun things to do downtown. I've always enjoyed coming downtown just to walk around and take pictures. I used to do that since I was like in middle school and high school. So I knew that eventually one of the areas that would work out for me would have been downtown. I had considered maybe the west side because of the clientele or are maybe like the newer shopping centers that are popping up everywhere. But when it came down to it, if we're being realistic, the rents are ridiculously high. Yeah. And it was just something that was totally unattainable for me, even now. So um, I didn't know that it's more affordable to be downtown. Um yeah, that's good to know. It's like an urban area, and I think they care a lot about small businesses, and they're doing everything in their power to attract more people, whether it's like events or like games and and restaurants, they they do everything in their power to like make it lively. So I ended up getting a good deal here, and that's what sold me pretty much. I was like, I can't say no, I can't let any more time pass because somebody will snatch it up. So yeah, it was her sign.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

It was like it was a sign, it was perfect timing. And I remember telling you um that I from looking like outside in, it felt like planned almost. Yeah, like, oh my god, what's the pop-up? And now she has a physical boutique. Like, yeah, that's so smart. Like it all just happened.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

It should have happened that way, but it didn't. No, yeah, it was just like a surprise for me, even. And I was able to move in here very quickly, and I had help from my family, and you know, very cool. We were able to open.

SPEAKER_01 16:30

I feel like what's meant to be for you will align. Yes. Like if you put it out there, and uh even if you're not or you don't think you're ready, life is gonna be like, no, you're ready. Yeah, it's gonna give it to you. It's like you have no other option, you just have to make it work. Yeah, no, very

Building Amaldo After A New York Detour

SPEAKER_01 16:47

cool. And uh going back to your pop-up, or I don't know if you want to talk about this, but I would like to like touch base on like your design journey as well and how that is going. And also, I know you have like your background, um, like going to school for it and learning, I mean, everything that it takes, but for you personally, how is the process and where do you want to take it?

SPEAKER_00 17:15

So my clothing brand was always like my first priority. It was um, you know, what I studied, what I went to school for, and I decided to build my brand shortly after finishing school. Um, and I named it Amaldo, which is kind of like my first and last name, but like spelled differently. So it has like a fun twist, and I wanted to do self-titled, but then I was like, I'm not gonna slap my name on like a bunch of clothes, you know, and I that just didn't feel like me. So I did something cool where I could also um put a lot of myself into it, but also hide my identity in a sort of way so that's more mysterious. Yeah. Um, and so I had made my first collection. I ended up going to New York thinking, you know, I was gonna do manufacturing there, and it was just like a monster for me. Like it just did not work out. So I took a break, and that's when I started the vintage store. Okay. Um, then I didn't want to let it like go away because it was my passion. So I had to come up with a plan B, and that's when I decided to go to Los Angeles, and I found a good manufacturing company there that was able to produce my designs in like um bulk or like wholesale so that I could sell it online. And so my clothing brand is exclusively online. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

Do you ever plan to have a physical store?

SPEAKER_00 18:26

I would love to. Um, if I'm being totally honest, the brand just doesn't generate enough revenue for me to kind of have that. Um, it's something that I'm still working on, you know, finding the right clientele and stuff. And it's really hard to manage both businesses at once. Yeah. Especially being like just me. I can't imagine. Yeah. So even though it's strictly online, it's like trips back and forth to LA for fittings and like overseeing the production and just the the entire process from start to finish when you're developing like a line or like a collection. Um, it's gonna be a while before you see return versus you know the vintage store that the clothing is already made. All you have to do is source and I make it sound really easy. It's not easy, but um, I'm able to see my return much more quickly than I am with my clothing brand. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:11

That is I I feel like such a cool thing, or like even career-wise to have. Like you have uh like you're working in fashion, but you made it your own. Yeah, like you made your vintage and you're also designing on the side. And I don't think a lot of people can say that, and also like at such an early age. I feel like I that's why I also like really wanted to bring you into the pod because I feel like more people need to know about people like you. Like you like fashion girlies who are making it happen. Um, and to just like go for it and not be scared uh to like put yourself out there because I feel like that's what gets people, they are like scared or have the fear that it's not gonna work out, or like you say, even now there is a certain process to get your clientele for your designs, but you're still doing it and you're still going for it, and I'm sure you will find it. Uh I know it's a process.

Finding Clients And Embracing Failure

SPEAKER_00 20:15

Okay, it's uh yeah, trial and error. And um, I mean, I've just never been afraid you have to fail in order to in order to succeed. So, I mean, I've never been afraid of like things not working out for me because I'm always thinking of like another plan or like another option.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

Yeah, like okay, if this doesn't work out, we have this one. No, I love that so much. And for you, like what would be your ideal clientele for your clothing line?

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Um, my ideal clientele, I imagine like all the iconic fashion influencers and like celebrities, like Sabrina Carpenter wearing them. Um like Sabrina if this gets to you. Sabrina Carpenter. But yeah, um my designs, I mean, my first collection versus my second collection. Um, the first one was very 1970s inspired. So I did a lot of silhouettes that were inspired by the 70s, a lot of bold prints and like uh patterns and stuff like that. And my second collection was very um inspired by the times, like political events and stuff like that. So yeah, it's a lot more darker, and it was kind of just like this uh viewpoint on like uh societal standards against women. And so I wanted to make a statement with that. But ideally, the people that would wear my clothes are girls that are very fashion forward, maybe girls in like bigger cities, like LA, New York, eventually Milan, Paris, you know. Yeah. Um, but yeah, fashion forward girls that are up to date with fashion um current events and that really appreciate quality because that's something that's very important to me.

SPEAKER_01 21:47

So no, for sure. And I mean, I saw it even at your pop up, uh, even like the denim, how it was made, and I could tell it was made well. Like I love that attention to detail. To something as simple as a denim like jacket or pants, but knowing like the fabric is well done and the details and the stitching. So um, like I feel like I mean, I never told you this, but I think that was very phenomenal on your thank you. Uh and I know my boyfriend was there with me and we were like really paying attention to that. We're like, this is like really well made.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

I appreciate that so much. Yeah. I mean, you can't go to fashion school and then, you know, just start a fast fashion brand or something that, you know, you've invested all this time and energy into what's really important in this in the sake of creating a fashion brand at this day and age.

Quality Sustainability And Timeless Denim

SPEAKER_00 22:42

And, you know, I try and be as sustainable as possible. No fabric gets, you know, wasted. And we always try and like reinvent the wheel. I am a ready-to-wear brand, so it's nothing like avant-garde or like crazy, you know. Um, like you were talking about the denim two-piece set. It's a classic timeless piece. Everyone wears jeans and everyone has a denim jacket in their closet. So it's just putting my own twist on it, something that feels intentional and like true to my brand while keeping the inspiration from whatever decade I'm referencing and um just really paying attention to the quality and making sure that it's gonna last through generations and it can be passed down. And one day it'll be vintage and it'll end up in a vintage boutique.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Yeah, it's all a full circle, a full circle moment. Very cool. And I just have one more question for

Dream Cities New York And Paris

SPEAKER_01 23:25

you. Um, I know you are in El Paso, Texas right now, but do you plan to ever take either your vintage or your clothing line um like physically to any other city? And what would be like your dream city to do so?

SPEAKER_00 23:43

Um my dream city. I mean, US-wise, probably New York. And if we're going out of the country, I would say Paris. My my dream destinations, and you never know. I don't have any of those plans right now, but if it falls into my lap, then maybe.

SPEAKER_01 24:02

You know, like I like to put it out there. Yes, exactly. I like to say in these of like podcast episodes that we're manifesting things and we're like speaking out to existence. So I believe that you never know.

SPEAKER_00 24:15

You never know.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

But anyway, thank you so much for being part of this episode. Thank you for having me. Like sharing your story, everything. It was so so insightful. And I hope anyone listening or watching has learned a little bit of like your journey, but also uh like the brands that you have or like the brands that you're putting out there with your vintage, with your own personal clothing line. And you never know, maybe someone from Paris will call and be like, we want you to come and bring your clothing line over here.

SPEAKER_00 24:50

Oh, well, thank you so much for having me again. It was so much fun.

SPEAKER_01 24:53

Yeah, likewise. Well, bye.

Where To Follow And Sponsor Thanks

SPEAKER_01 24:56

Thank you for tuning in. Make sure to follow at That's the V podcast on all platforms for more fashion content. And a big thank you to our sponsor, Jag Premier Advertising Agency. If you're looking to get on platforms like Hulu or Netflix, check out the link in the description.