In ancient times alpaca hair was considered such a rare and exotic fiber that the soft, cashmere-like fabric was deemed fine enough only for the likes of Incan kings and queens.

Today, while the weave remains among the softest and most sought after in the world, alpaca yarns and garments enjoy a more mainstream market, allowing even non-blue-bloods to feel like kings and queens. And that, believes Kelley Hobart, owner of Alpaca Direct, is exactly how it should be.

“Traditionally it has been expensive,” said Hobart, who added that skeins of the yarn at her store begin around $14. “But we have tried to keep our prices lower so that everyone can enjoy. We want it to be available to everyone.”

With the holiday season officially underway, shoppers searching for that special, one-of-a-kind gift item have a unique option right here in Brentwood.

Open just three months, Alpaca Direct on Continente Avenue is still new to the neighborhood, but the online end of the business has been thriving for nearly five years. The new storefront is merely an extension of Hobart’s online success.

“What we did here (with the storefront) was create something for people who want to come in and see and touch and talk about the yarns and items,” said Hobart, who along with her husband Jim, raises and sells alpacas – members of the camel family – on their farm in Brentwood. “We wanted something more homey, but also a place where we can teach knitting and crochet, or just a place where someone who is working on a project and gets stuck can come in and get help.”

The warm and welcoming storefront is stocked floor to ceiling with skeins of yarn in an assortment of colors and textures. Racks and shelves filled with luxurious sweaters, socks, ponchos and scarves in unique patterns and color combinations share space with silken alpaca toys and plush slippers. Walls of knitting and crochet books as well as needles in a variety of sizes and shapes are positioned close to the comfortable, customer-friendly chairs. Handmade Peruvian jewelry and imported bracelets and earrings from Katmandu round out the eclectic sampling of gift items.

But the yarns and garments are the real stars of the store. Soft, durable and available in more than 200 colors, alpaca yarns make for long-lasting, heirloom-quality items that are itch-free and nearly as soft as cashmere.

“People come in and can’t believe the selection of yarns,” said Hobart. The selection features not only the alpaca fabrics, but sugar cane, silk and prima cotton as well; more than 50 manufacturers are represented on site. “We try to stick with the babies (yarn), which means they are at a 21 micron count or less – and that makes them very light and soft.”

And while alpaca clothing feels lightweight, it remains one of the warmest fabrics around. “Alpaca is very, very warm, and I usually try to wear only one item at a time,” said Hobart. “I was in Bend (Oregon) during a snowstorm last year and I had on (alpaca) socks and a sweater and I was nice and warm.”

Sales at the new store so far have also been nice and warm, said Hobart, who is already placing orders for the holiday season online and on site. Future plans include expanding the store and adjacent warehouses as consumer demand dictates.

“Oh, yes, we’re going to let it (the business) keep growing,” she said. “I truly think we have something unique and wonderful here. If someone wants something different, this is the place.”

Alpaca Direct is located in Brentwood at 144 Continente Ave., Suite 160, and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A knitting circle is held each Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. and is open to the public. You can visit the online store at www.alpacadirect.com. For additional information, call 925-308-7655.