Inuvik (July 16/04) - The only brand name clothing store in Inuvik may be closing if the owner can't find new space.

The building where Index is housed has been sold, and Khalid Ali isn't sure what will happen.

"I hope I can find another location and the store will stay in town," he said. "I hope my customers will support this place as I really appreciate them."

Ali opened the store two years ago after hearing some chatter in a southern coffee shop.

"I overheard some people talking, somebody giving advice about opportunities here," said the 34-year-old. "I took that advice, left the coffee shop before the conversation ended and came here."

He came to Inuvik to investigate the possibility of setting up a clothing shop.

Combining his interest in fashion with what he believed was an untapped market, Ali decided to open Index, Inuvik's only brand name clothier.

"I knew there were a lot of people who wanted to be trendy but had nowhere to shop," he said. "It's not all about profit. I'm into this town and I enjoy bringing in clothing that people want to wear."

Though his first year involved a bit of trial-and-error, Ali got to know his clientele and their preferences. Business has been picking up since.

An avid soccer fan, Ali remembers the day he opened shop.

"May 31, 2002. The first day of the World Cup in France."

Since then, Ali has been dressing the style-conscious Inuvik set with the latest fashions from New York, Toronto and Montreal.

Several times a year, he travels to the south -- primarily Montreal, as he sees the cosmopolitan city as the fashion capital of North America.