Local boutique gets creative with Chiefs gear this football season

By Leah Rainwater

A month into NFL football season, some must-haves for St. Joseph residents includes Chiefs clothing, decor and accessories.

Michelle Moore is the owner of Blessings Boutique in St. Joseph, and she said she’s been a Chiefs fan for some time.

“I’ve been a huge Chiefs fan since ‘80s, since I was a teenager,” Moore said. “Any day during Chiefs season, you’ll see our flag flying out front. That’s not just game days, that’s everyday that we’re open during Chiefs season.”

Moore said Chiefs gear has always been a good seller in her boutique.

“We are excited to carry Chiefs product and to support the team and other businesses and our own business here in town, it’s great,” Moore said.

Moore said typically when she gets her Chiefs gear in, it “flies off the shelves”.

However, NFL guidelines can pose obstacles to bringing in Chiefs merchandise.

“Small businesses like myself, we really have to work within the NFL guidelines,” Moore said. “We can only have it (merchandise) from manufacturers that are licensed for the NFL.”

Moore said she really has to look into manufacturers who are experts on NFL merchandise guidelines.

“It’s a little bit challenging because it’s hard to kind of find the guidelines online,” Moore said. “Everybody always says, ‘Oh, look up the guidelines …’ well those are kind of hard to find. So we really rely on manufacturers that really know their business as far as, what can and what cannot be sold.”

With having to follow specific guidelines and purchase from certain manufacturers, Moore said creativity is a must. But, the creativity is not as burdensome as some may think.

“We really try and be creative with our Chiefs merchandise and honestly, I think some of the best pieces come out of that creativity,” she said.

Moore brings in all kinds of Chiefs merchandise to her store, ranging from Vera Bradley backpacks, earrings, sweatshirts and more.

“Really big trends this year that we’re seeing in Chiefs merchandise, of course red always sells. Anything red. Sometimes we like to put a twist on that,” said Moore. “But we are really seeing retro prints being popular this year. So, checkers, smiley faces, lightning bolts. That kind of retro print.”

There’s also ways Moore incorporates customer staples into Chiefs gear sold into her shop.

“Here in our shop for our customers, they wanna see the bling, bring the bling” said Moore. “So it’s either glitter embroidery, or it’s spangles or it’s sequins.”

So far this season, the Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0 as they prepare to take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 29.