The Hip Eagle boutique, located in The Market of downtown Huntington, is owned and ran by Magdalene Gue and her seven-person

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female staff.
Gue, 36, graduated from Marshall University with a degree in marketing. She has four children, Maddox, Roxy, Jetta and Crimson with her high school sweetheart, who she said all helped with her inspiration for creating the Hip Eagle boutique.
“I have always been passionate about fashion, and I came from a family of entrepreneurs, so it only seemed appropriate to open up my very own boutique,” Gue said. “Plus I have always been the stylist for my friends, that’s really one of my absolute favorite things to do is to style people.”
Gue came close to opening her first shop, Confidence located in Pullman Square, at the age of 23, but she said God intervened and decided it was not the right time.
“I am quite thankful the store didn’t open in the end, I truly feel that I was not yet prepared for all of the responsibilities of running a store all on my own, and I’m not sure how long the store would have lasted,” Gue said.
She went on to spend the next 14 years managing her family’s business, raising her four children and starting her disposable car seat company called “Save Your Seat.”
After her children began growing and becoming more independent, Gue said she decided to give another go at her dream of owning her own shop.
“This time I started out small, posting my products on Instagram to see how customers would take to my aesthetic,” Gue said. “There was an incredibly positive response amongst the tri-state area, so I quickly began searching for a brick and mortar location to start creating my dream store.”
Gue’s oldest brother, Xavier Staggs, turned her onto the Market location, and she said the moment she was told she could in fact close the store on the “Lord’s Day,” she took it as a sign and signed the lease.
The meaning of her boutique’s name, “Hip Eagle,” was derived from two things, Gue said, the vibe that she felt was lacking in the Huntington area, as well as her adoration of eagles and their characteristics, as described in the Bible verse Isaiah 40:31.
“Our vision for the store is to have a shop with a more urban edge, mostly reaching out to people of 18 years or older who are interested in that hip new look that has been missing in the Huntington area for so long,” Gue said.
The store carries a variety of products, such as shoes, clothing, handbags, a denim bar, jewelry, sunglasses and even a corner designated for baby items and apparel. They also carry an “array of popular brands,” Gue said. “I just love carrying brands that have their own mission like all of these do.”
DeeAnna Mayo, a coworker and close friend of Gue’s, began working at the Hip Eagle from the time it opened.
“I just love working there,” Mayo said. “I love the work environment at the Market, and I have the opportunity to meet so many new people, all the while helping them with a whole new style, wardrobe and sense of confidence.”
Mayo and Gue said they agreed that social media plays a huge factor in the success of the boutique. They said their posts on Facebook and Instagram give the public the chance to see all the pieces the moment they arrive at the store.
“Honestly wearing our clothes out and about helps the Hip Eagle too,” Mayo said, “I always have people asking me where something I’m wearing came from, so then I can confidently respond by telling them I bought it at the Hip Eagle at the Market in downtown Huntington.”
The boutique opened May 7 of this year, and their hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Since the opening of the store in the beginning of May, I have been living my dream and learning something new every day,” Gue said. “I have been incredibly overwhelmed by the tri-state’s support and love, and I am super excited for what the future holds. I have the best staff of girls behind me, and we plan to make a major difference in the style and moral of women in our area. Our ’12 days of giving’ promotion will begin this holiday season where we hope to truly connect our customers with local charities and needs in a way that will benefit all for the greater good.”
Chelsey Stanley can be contacted at [email protected].