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The jewelry line-turned-modern chic women’s boutique opened its doors in March.
Sarah Riddell
“The downtown Roanoke community has been so welcoming and supportive of my journey,” says Sierra Sallah, owner of Southwest Native.
On Cyber Monday of last year, Sierra Sallah made her vision of creating her own jewelry line a reality when she launched Southwest Native as an online storefront. It was her busy lifestyle and love of timeless jewelry pieces that made her finally take the plunge.
“I am a mama to a seven-year-old and two pups. So, I am always on the go!” Sallah shares. “I wanted jewelry that was affordable, stylish and durable enough to handle my everyday chaos.”
Little did she know that less than a year later, she’d be moving into her very own retail space located in the iconic Crafteria building. “I wanted to (eventually) grow into a brick-and-mortar, but I definitely didn’t think it would be this early on,” admits Sallah. “I love the convenience of online shopping, and many of my customers do too, but having a location for folks to visit … was always the goal!”
Moving into the new space has given Sallah the opportunity to expand Southwest Native into a full-fledged women’s boutique. In addition to the jewelry she curates, the shop now carries women’s clothing and accessories, including pieces from Wild Thread Co., an online boutique based out of Smith Mountain Lake. “It has been such a positive change and the love we receive from both our customers and community is proof of it!”
Though adding a retail storefront to her online operation has been overwhelming at times, Sallah is grateful for all the encouragement she’s received along the way. “The downtown Roanoke community has been so welcoming and supportive of my journey,” says Sallah. “I think they have been a key to my success thus far!”
You can learn more about the boutique on their website at shopsouthwestnative.com and on Instagram @shopsouthwestnative.
The story above is from our July/August 2022. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!