Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Business feature: A passion for fashion

Editor's note: We continue our series of stories about local business owners and the unique merchandise and services they have for sale -- just in time for Christmas.

Montana Thatcher was born in Clovis. She recently moved home after finishing college in Las Cruces at New Mexico State University. This year she struck out on her own as the proprietor of a new clothing boutique, Twisted Rayne's, located on the corner of 4th and Pile streets.

Q: Where are you from? How long have you lived here?

A: I was born and raised in Clovis, New Mexico. I went to Texico High.

Q: What were you doing before you started Twisted Raynes?

A: I went to college. I went to New Mexico State up in Las Cruces, and I graduated there with a degree in fashion merchandising, and a minor in marketing. I graduated in May of 2022. Then I came back to Clovis and opened up my business.

Q: Was it always your plan to come back to Clovis and start your own shop?

A: No. I really wanted to be a buyer. I really planned on going and working for another company and doing all their buying - but the more I researched it and the more I looked into it - it just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. And I really missed home, so it just kind of worked out.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most so far about running your own business?

A: I really enjoy interacting with the people, and impacting them with sales, and getting to dress them up and see their smiles when they have a nice outfit on.

Q: What can people find in your store?

A: It's women's apparel. I cater more to teenagers and up to middle-aged women. I try to make my inventory versatile, where it could go either way - because I feel like our community lacks clothing for women.

I also do a little bit of home decor. I have little gift guides that can be given for birthdays or anything like that. I also sell lots of jewelry.

Q: What have you sold the most of so far?

A: Probably clothing.

Q: Where do you get your clothes from?

A: There's different markets all over. For my first time, I went to the Dallas market. I'll be going to the Vegas market in February. There are also online sales for different vendors, and so I can select from different vendors online if I need to fill in my inventory or if I run out of something. I can find the brands I need, and reorder.

Q: What is a little-known fact about you?

A: I used to be a really big tomboy. I was not a fashionista whatsoever. Then, once I got into junior high, I fell in love with clothes.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your shop's name? Twisted Rayne's.

A: "Twisted," I came up with because I feel like I have a unique style that draws from all different styles - from modern, to boho, to classic, to western. So that's where I got "Twisted" from, because it's all kind of intertwined together. And then Rayne is my middle name. So I just added the "s" at the end.

Q: What prompted you to go into business?

A: What prompted me to go into fashion would be my job at Buckle, where I worked all through highschool. What prompted me to go into business? My dad has his own business as well. So I kind of knew certain aspects of business because of him. I kind of figured I wanted to start while I'm young. I wanted to build a foundation and get to a point where I would be able to hire people, so that if I was to get married and have children, I would be able to stay home with them.

Q: Do you have any advice for others considering starting up their own business?

A: I would really recommend going with your gut and doing it. I feel like it's really worked out. I know it's hard at the beginning, and very stressful. But it definitely pans out in the whole.

Q: What has surprised you the most so far about being a small business owner?

A: Honestly, the community. I've had really good support and it's really surprised me, but it's been very nice.

 
 
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