The idea of the store she’s now working to create has been in Ana Carsey’s head and heart for awhile.

“I had this idea of bringing the church to main street, meeting people where they’re at, filling the void of the Christian bookstore when that left,” she said.

Since Aug. 1 she’s been working to make that dream a reality as the new owner of the downtown women’s clothing boutique The Rusty Skunk.

Carsey recently purchased the business from the previous owners, Amy and Chris Cozzens, who are renting the space to Carsey.

She said the whole process happened organically.

“I didn’t have to think too hard about it, it just fell in my lap,” she said, adding, “We never signed one piece of paper originally, it was just like, we’re doing this.”

Carsey said Amy, who also owns other businesses with her husband, was happy to sell the business to focus on other projects. Carsey is keeping the women’s and children’s clothing  and accessories, while planning to add more, including a tea shop, gifts, Christian books and other merchandise, space for private events and gathering.

Carsey, her husband and three daughters — later joined by a nephew — moved to Powell from southern California two years ago to get away from the cost of living, unfriendly business environment and to find better schools.

The family looked in a number of Wyoming locations, settling on the Big Horn Basin because of the milder climate and distance to Billings.

“We did a lot of research and we prayed for two years,” she said.

Now, Carsey is working to help her new home town. She credits her pastor, Tim Morrow, with encouraging her to turn her idea into reality. And since she’s taken on the challenge, she said she’s met multiple people who are excited to see her ideas come to fruition.

And not only is she adding more items for sale, she’s pushed the hours back, opening at noon instead of 10 a.m. and staying open until 7 p.m., instead of closing at 5, so people getting off a typical workday will have time to come in and browse. The shop is also open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and even offering by appointment shopping outside of normal hours. She hopes more downtown businesses do the same, stay open later, at least in the summer and the holiday season, which could attract more tourists and visitors.

More than anything, she just wants to be a place for people in downtown Powell to shop, hang out, read, sip tea and someday even eat some of her native Uruguayan snacks. And, she wants to inspire.

“It’s the concept of reaching people where they’re at,” she said. “Be able to share the gospel, the good news, give them hope.”