BY Megan Schmitt

Staff Reporter

Central alumna Megan West has made her dream come true by opening up her very own clothing store.

Claim Clothing, which opened on May 3, is located on Pearl Street in the original Geddis building, which was built back in 1889.

West wants customers to “claim your closet,” which is the tagline of her store.

“All of our clothes are an up to date style with a little of everything and anything,” West said. “We have an edgy section, a country chic section with the paisleys and lace, a summer section with all the pastels and florals and much more.”

According to West, the clothes and jewelry cater to all age groups and appeal to people on a budget.

“There is nothing in the store that is over $48 and the tops range from $24-$32.” West said. “I hope the price points are great for college students and locals.”

What sets Claim Clothing apart from other clothing stores is that it only gets six pieces of each item. According to West, this is great for customers because they can be sure only a few people will have the same article of clothing as them.

Claim Clothing also gets shipments every two weeks from online catalogs.

“When someone comes in shopping and requests specific items, I always like to cater to what the customers want,” West said. “I can always order items and get them in five days.”

Claim Clothing’s online store should hopefully be up by the end of this month so people can begin purchasing their items online, which will be available for in store pick up as well as shipping anywhere in the U.S.

West designed the store to be inviting and  look like a Seattle boutique. She wants customers to feel welcomed and comfortable when shopping. The store layout is spacious, with four roomy dressing rooms and a seating area “for all the men.”

“The atmosphere is very comfortable and easy to be in,” Macie Conaway, a Claim Clothing customer, said. “I don’t feel rushed and the owner is very nice.”

West grew up in Selah, Wash., and graduated in 2013, with a degree in apparel textiles and merchandising and a minor in apparel design and retail management. She knew after college that she wanted to stay in Ellensburg and open up her own clothing store because she had grown to love the town, and she and her husband had already made so many friends here.

“I think this is a great community and we picked a perfect location for the store. Everyone is very friendly and has already introduced themselves,” West said.

In high school, West had wanted to be an orthodontist and figured she would go into biology once in college. When touring Central, she saw an article in The Observer with information about the Student Fashion Association. She was instantly drawn in by all the activities they do.

West knew she had a creative side and thought it would be a perfect match for her. During her first year at Central, she joined the club and started pursuing her fashion major. West worked at the Wildcat Shop during this time and helped with the opening and buying aspects of the Wildcats shop’s boutique, where she was able to do an internship.

“Megan was an exceptional student.  She was active in the program and in the Student Fashion Association,” Andrea Eklund, apparel, textiles and merchandising professor, said. “Her attention to detail was always seen in her projects in class and she always put the best work forward.”

Claim Clothing will also be providing clothing for the 18th Annual Apparel, Textiles and Merchandising spring fashion show on June 7. Eklund said West had designed for the fashion show in years past. She worked hard enough to get two of her designs accepted into the International Textiles and Apparel Association competition last year.

“I think the store will be hugely successful. There is not a locally owned store in Ellensburg with fashion forward clothing and accessories at very reasonable prices” Eklund said. “It’s especially great that it’s here in the ‘Burg so I can run down at any time to pick up some great clothes.”