The owners and managers of four University Boulevard boutiques said they are nervous about sales dropping after the retail giant Brandy Melville opened a store just down the street last Saturday.

“We had no idea it was going to happen and then all of a sudden, there was a Brandy Melville,” said Leah English, manager of Pitaya, 943 E. University Blvd.

For years, this stretch of stores and restaurants just west of the University of Arizona’s Main Gate has been a hub for college students to shop. Managers and owners of long-standing stores interviewed Tuesday said one idea on how to compete with Brandy Melville is to focus on bringing in more unique and individualized pieces. In this way, they hope to offer alternatives to Brandy Melville’s “one-size-fits-most” aesthetic.  

“We hope to continue to be a hub for elevated styles, because they have a lot of basics,” said  Sadie Ruud, manager of Boutique 816, 943 E. University Blvd.  “We want to have stuff for going out, date dashes, swimsuits, anything with a little more flare.” 

 Nearby, there’s Swindlers, at 906 E. University Blvd., which Christina Henneke opened in 2012. 

“Our plan is to keep doing what we do, carrying unique pieces and trying to not carry casual things,” she said.  

Henneke said spring sales are what the stores count on to get through the slower summer months, and so this is a critical time of year. She is hopeful things will even out once the hype calms down about the new Brandy Melville at 845 E. University Blvd. 

Ruud agrees. 

“Our big thing is we just hope that people continue to shop local,” she said.

There are currently 40 Brandy Melville stores nationwide, as well as in Sweden, Switzerland and Great Britain. The Tucson store is the third new site to open in the United States since January. 

The stores were the subject of an HBO documentary called “Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion.” It aired last April, focusing on CEO Stephan Marsan allegedly hiring only white and thin employees, and the company’s negative effect on young women’s mental health. 

Arizona Sonoran News emailed the company questions about the new Tucson store and the documentary, but no one responded by deadline Wednesday. 

Hundreds of UA students lined up Saturday to shop at Brandy Melville’s grand opening. The campus store is the second in Arizona – there’s another larger one in Scottsdale.

“Brandy Melville is a great addition to our clothing options on campus. It is nice to have a place that is more affordable than the boutiques for better quality as well,” said Lauryn Welch, a UA sophomore who waited in line. 

Her friend standing next to her agreed. 

“I once bought a pair of high heels for an event at one of the boutiques and they broke that same night,” said Vanessa Chevarria, a UA sophomore. “I knew it was because the quality of the shoes was not good.” 

Brandy Melville announced their opening to the public the day before on Instagram, with the caption: “Hey Tucson! Opening tomorrow at 12 p.m.”

The Instagram comments were mostly positive, including  students who were excited about the store or who wished the store had opened when they were at the UA.

For English, who first heard about Brandy Melville opening when she saw the Instagram post, the new store brings more concern than excitement. 

 As the Gracie Abrams’ song, “Where do we go now?” played in the background Tuesday, English contemplated what having Brandy Melville down the street means. 

“I think we’re probably all a little nervous,” she said. 

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.