Inside Altar’d State, Mixing Fashion and Faith

It’s rare for Aaron Walters, chairman and chief executive officer of the Maryville, Tenn.-based Altar’d State women’s fashion chain, to step out in a public kind of way.
“We are very low-profile,” Walters acknowledged at Tuesday’s opening of Altar’d State’s first New York store in The Westchester mall in White Plains.
Altar’d State’s second New York store opened Wednesday at the Roosevelt Field mall in Garden, City, N.Y., and that day, too, Walters delivered his first presentation ever at an industry conference — the Consensus Advisors’ Great Brands Conference spotlighting emerging and distinct businesses. Altar’d State fits both criteria.
“People want to know what this company is about and who we are. Having more information out there is probably a good thing,” Walters told WWD.
“We are faith-based. It doesn’t matter what your background is, where are you from, or what your beliefs are,” to work or shop at Altar’d State, he said. “But we do run our business on some simple principles — treat others how you want to be treated and give much help to others. We put love into our business.”

Aaron Walters 

It’s uncharacteristic for Walters to grant an interview, but he’s eager to show WWD the new Altar’d State store, which

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