Giving goods a new life

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff

Brooke Moore, who owns Azalea Handpicked Style on First Avenue in Sandpoint, doesn’t forget a piece of clothing. That’s thanks to her belief that each and every consigned good that makes it into the back room of her shop deserves another chance to become someone’s favorite.

Brooke Moore tidies up her shop Azalea Handpicked Style on First Ave. in Sandpoint. Courtesy photo.

“People are always surprised that I remember every item of clothing, and I take a lot of pride in that because I literally give attention and care to every single item that comes in,” Moore said. “I’ve always believed in quality over quantity.”

That attention and care can include anything from laundering to lint rolling to shaving fabric that’s begun to pill.

“I think everything belongs to someone,” Moore said. “It’s important to give things a new life, and to carefully give them a new life.”

Sometimes, the extra love a piece of clothing receives at Azalea can include mending. It’s a practice that Moore has become more invested in over the years.

“It used to be that when items came in that needed mending, I wasn’t able to take the time,” she said. “Now I think it’s important to take the time.”

With the help of a seamstress, Azalea is able to stock clothing that has a lot of life left to offer, if only given the chance. Moore said that in her experience, people often love a piece of repaired clothing because of how a mend can make it unique.

“It does give everything a little story, and gives it character,” she said.

That character extends beyond Azalea’s clothing collection. The store also stocks locally and sustainably made retail goods including soaps, jewelry, baby toys and greeting cards. Moore said some of the most popular products as of late include dryer balls made of local alpaca wool — a sustainable alternative to traditional dryer sheets — and beeswax candles made by a local beekeeper.

Whether hanging from a clothing rack or displayed on the tables throughout the store at 324 N. First Ave., Moore said every item found in Azalea is chosen with intention and care.

An example of the creative patchwork on a sweater. Courtesy photo.

“I love that people still come in everyday that live here and have lived here, and have never been in,” Moore said. “It’s so fun to have people not just come in and do a circle and leave, but to spend time picking up everything and looking at it, feeling it. 

A flower sewn into a garment to cover up a hole. Courtesy photo.

“My ideal shopper would be somebody that came in and spent an hour just feeling everything and smelling it and knowing how much care goes into everything,” she added. “Everything is intentional: where everything is, where it’s set up — the hangers, the lighting.”

Ultimately, the hope is that the customer leaves with a treasure — maybe a brand new artisan good, or maybe a piece of well-loved, consigned clothing, ready to embark on its new life.

Azalea’s current hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. To learn more about the store’s consignment process and to book an appointment, find Azalea Handpicked Style on Facebook. Also browse the store’s current selection on Instagram: @azaleasandpoint.