TaCaCo Alpacas of Delaware open Rehoboth Beach boutique

After a trip to an alpaca farm open house in Pennsylvania, Blair and Kelley Boyce were smitten with the furry, wide-eyed animals. 

This trip was seven years ago and a year or two after that, the couple asked an Amish tradesman to build them a barn for five alpacas. It was the beginning of TaCaCo Alpacas of Delaware. 

"We researched it and learned as much as we could about alpacas," Kelley said. 

Now, the couple owns 22 alpacas. Their backyard in Laurel, Delaware, is transformed into stretches of acres for alpacas to roam. 

The animals are curious creatures. Kelley is able to call them with a few claps of her hands and motions to "come over here."

She motions to a brown and orange-colored alpaca. She's a young female named Pumpkin.

Kelley explains how she loves Pumpkin's face, especially for photos. The alpaca has big eyes and an angular face even with her soft, fluffy fur.

Visitors can come to TaCaCo Alpacas for birthdays, field trips and even weddings. In September, the farm hosts a National Alpaca Farm Day open house and another open house in November or December for the holidays.

The farm houses its own gift shop, selling various alpaca products like sweaters, scarves and socks. The Laurel gift shop is the only store is Western Sussex that offers Stonewall Kitchen products.

After running the TaCaCo Alpacas farm and gift shop in Laurel, the family is heading into a new endeavor with a boutique in Rehoboth Beach.

However, Blair is staying on the farm. This boutique is an endeavor between Kelley and her sister Karla Mears.

"I always get her farm involved (when talking to customers)," Mears said. "I refer people to her farm so (customers) can actually see the alpaca, touch the alpaca, feed the alpaca."  

Expanding the alpaca empire

Mears recently had a life change in October when she retired from a 34-year-long career as a hairdresser. Kelley said her sister approached her about doing another TaCaCo shop. 

“Before I got in the business, I was her best customer,” Mears said.

While buying an alpaca garment during summer vacation doesn’t seem the norm, in Rehoboth Beach vacationers can now pair their swimsuits with scarves.

The two started looking around for a location and found the boutique on Wilmington Avenue. Owned by The Avenue Inn & Spa, the space was new and the sisters said the inn was looking for unique retailers to fill their spaces.

The boutique is rolling into its first summer season. The sisters officially opened in December with a ribbon cutting in May. 

Kelley said they’ve already seen a different clientele in this boutique than in their Laurel gift shop. It’s primarily visitors from the surrounding cities who are looking for high quality, unique products.

“We’re affiliated with The (Avenue) Inn, a lot of people from the Inn come over,”  said Mears. "And there’s a lot of people from D.C., Virginia.”

Straight from the alpaca source 

Shoppers can find everything from alpaca sweaters to Peruvian Pima Cotton dresses. Other items include socks, slippers and tiny alpaca stuffed animals. Shoppers can also find soaps wrapped in alpaca fur.

“(At the Rehoboth Beach shop) we are focused solely on Alpaca and Peruvian Pima Cotton,” Kelley said.

READ MORE: Meet the 'da Vinci of shearing' at Va. alpaca farm

The Rehoboth Beach shop receives its products from merchandisers in Maine, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. But, almost everything is sourced from Peru.   

“They all get it fair trade from Peru. Some things are directly from Peru,” Kelley said.

TaCaCo Alpacas also shear their alpacas yearly in mid-May. Kelley then sends their fiber to a mill to be processed into yarn, rug yarn, felt, batting and robing. The material sourced from the Laurel farm can be found in both shops.

Alpaca products offer a lot to customers with its soft feel, warmth and the hypo-allergenic fibers. The fibers are also primarily flame and water resistant. Kelley said these are all the factors why alpaca is so appealing to shoppers looking for a different type of textile.

“I think the feel of the product and definitely the hypo allergenic (aspect). I think that’s the big thing,” she said.

The boutique will be holding a Christmas in July event from July 17-23 with discounts on various products.

The sisters agreed they’re interested to see how business does when Rehoboth Beach is in full swing.

“This is our first summer season, so we don’t really know what to expect," Mears said. 

On Twitter: @The_MegRyan

IF YOU GO:

Farm and gift shop in Laurel: 28494 Fire Tower Rd.

Laurel hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or by appointment

Shop in Rehoboth Beach: 33 Wilmington Ave.

Rehoboth Beach hours: Monday through Sunday Noon to varying, hours will change after Labor Day 

Contact: 302-236-7950, tacacoalpacasofdelaware.com