It's hard to imagine a store featured in two national publications remaining a secret in its hometown.

But, in the case of Musette, 9420 W. Sahara Ave., it's true.

Not to say that the trendy 2-year-old boutique in the Village Square shopping center hasn't benefited from being listed in August by USA Today as one of "10 Great Places" to get "Sex and the City"-style clothes or featured last year in Lucky magazine. It has benefited, says boutique spokeswoman Mara Holguin.

Tourists come in to check out the store they've read about, Holguin says. But the shop remains somewhat of a secret to most valley residents.

"We have a fiercely loyal following from locals on this side of town," Holguin says. "A few people venture from Green Valley to shop here. But we've been running ads on bus stops and people coming in are saying they didn't know we were here."

That's true for many shops that aren't in one of the malls or in a central location widely traveled by a majority of valley residents. There are many hidden shopping spots people are missing out on, say several shop representatives.

"People shop at the malls because the malls are so much easier," says Myra Politis, owner of The Attic, a vintage clothing store at 1018 S. Main St. "We're off the beaten path so unless you have a mission to come down here you won't."

About 92 percent of The Attic's customers are tourists and most of them have seen the Visa commercial that featured the vintage shop a couple of years ago, Politis says. A few locals come in, usually when they need to buy something for a costume party or other similar function, she adds.

Traffic is always an issue with residents, often keeping them from venturing past the mall in their neighborhood, but one reason shops remain "undiscovered," Holguin says, is because so many people move to Las Vegas every month.

"When people say they haven't heard of us it does surprise us but then it makes sense," Holguin notes. "If they're avid shoppers they'll seek you out. And we do have people who don't like the malls so they shop exclusively boutique. But we rely a lot on word of mouth."

The best way to attract shoppers, Holguin explains, is to offer something they can't get in the mall. Usually that boils down to unique clothing and specialized customer service.

Musette carries women's contemporary clothing from hot as well as up-and-coming designers, such as Juicy Couture, Seven, and Paper Denim and Cloth. It is the only store in Nevada that sells Levi's Premium, Holguin says.

The Attic offers one-of-a-kind vintage and club wear, Politis says.

There are many other places in town that provide shoppers with something not found in valley malls. Here is a sampling:

• The Refinery, A Celebrity Resale Boutique, 3827 E. Sunset Road -- This consignment shop used to be on the other side of town but opened up in the southeast valley late last year. This is a great place to pick up Valentino, Prada, Gucci and Armani, among other designers. All of the clothes are owned by celebrities.

• Chico's Fas Inc., 1019 S. Rampart Blvd. -- The strip mall at the corner of Rampart and Charleston boulevards is a shopper's paradise, with Gap, Banana Republic, Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma. But this is the only Chico's off the Strip, which makes it convenient for those who want to check out the stylish separates for women 35 and older.

• Nordstrom Rack, 9851 S. Eastern Ave. -- You'll find the same stuff usually found at Nordstrom, including lots of shoes. But the prices are discounted because the merchandise is either irregular or out of season.

• Poise Fashion & Accessories, 7581 W. Lake Mead Blvd. -- It carries women's private labels, casual and dressy, such as Billabong and Cristo.

• Hahn's World of Surplus, 2908 E. Lake Mead Blvd., North Las Vegas -- For all of you survivalists or adventurers, or if you just like military stuff, this is the place to shop. The store carries everything from World War I surplus gear to military clothes and canteens.