la Pink Boutique Caters To Local Fashionistas

Busy traffic roars past on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa and customers coming to shop or dine at the The Walk at Highwoods Preserve shopping center just off Highwoods Preserve Dr. pull in and out of parking spots. Step inside la Pink Boutique, however, and you’re transported to another world.

Frank Sinatra croons “New York, New York” softly, and aromatic candles scent the air. Beside a fashion book opened to photos of Audrey Hepburn is a framed Oscar Wilde quote: “One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art.”

Visiting la Pink is nothing like shopping in a mall store — it’s more like browsing through the eclectic and whimsical home of a friend with exquisite taste.

Welcome to Amy Crumpton’s little kingdom, the fashionista destination that pays homage to Crumpton’s favorite color — every hue of rose, blush, fuchsia and magenta imaginable (as well as other colors, too).

“It’s my little happy place,” says Crumpton from her office, with its vintage desk and full set of the popular children’s book series, Pinkalicious. “I’m still a little girl.”

While she’s perfectly turned out and looks ready for a brisk day at work, Crumpton also exudes the companionable air of one who’s up for a cozy chat. Her personality may say a lot about the long-standing success of this boutique, which mixes exclusive merchandise with affordability and manages to draw customers despite the continual growth of nearby chain store and mall destinations.

la Pink Boutique will be 11 years old in May, and has been in the same location (in the outparcel building that also is home to Men’s Wearhouse) all these years, although it has doubled in size since its opening.

The boutique’s origins lie in a shoe shop for children that a friend of Crumpton’s invited her to join in running in Tampa Palms. At the time, Crumpton was a young mom who was working in accounts receivable for Crumpton Welding Supply, owned by her husband’s family, since graduating in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in management from the University of Tampa.

The two ran the shoe shop for a year, and then they decided to open a boutique (la Pink) instead. They worked together for five years, before Crumpton became the sole owner in 2010.

Today, la Pink consists of two large rooms artfully arranged with a carefully curated collection of clothes, accessories, shoes and jewelry. The range of styles and looks in the store mean that everyone from Crumpton’s college-age daughter to her own mother can find something they like.

While the items are carefully sourced, well-structured and well-made, Crumpton also is proud of the reasonable and generous selection of items throughout her showroom.

Brand Names For Boutique Shoppers

Clothes lines at la Pink include KUT from the Kloth Denim, Jude Connally, Allen, Escapada, Isle and Tyler Boe.

One brand that la Pink was the first boutique to feature is Lutz-based Tees by Tina, a line of super comfy and flattering tees, leggings, camis and other casual fashions.

A charm bar by Moon & Lola is one popular jewelry line, as is Bourbon and Boweties, a line of bracelets from a Brandon designer who fashions dazzling stones picked up from worldwide travels into unique, handmade “arm candy.”

Shoe lines include the playful Oka B as well as Lindsay Phillips, a Clearwater-based line of shoes featuring interchangeable snaps to change the look of the shoe to match an outfit — or a mood.

Those looking for a thoughtful gift might find something pleasant from the line of carefully selected fragrances and body luxuries, such as Tyler candles, Lollia bath products, Tokyomilk fragrances and cosmetics and Pure factory natural lotions and skin repair products.

There’s even the tongue-in-cheek “Poo Pourri,” a line of deodorant bathroom spritzes.

“It takes a while to learn your customers,” says Crumpton. “You have to understand that you can’t have everything for everyone. But I try my hardest! You have to stay true to who stays true to you.”

Boutique Product Lines That Give Back

Giving back also is a priority for Crumpton, and she tries to stock products that do more than make a profit. 31 bits, for example, is a company that sells beautiful necklaces and bracelets made by women in Uganda to help them make a living. Other brands have helped send Thai children to school and set up water purification systems in Haiti. And, that philosophy permeates more than just the products.

“There’s a lot of therapy that happens here,” says Crumpton. “I always tell people, ‘You don’t have to come in and buy something. You can just come in and talk.’ Conversations I’ve had with people in here have gotten me through situations in life.”

Her employees too are not simply hires; they are people Crumpton invited into the business because of a personal connection she felt with them. Judi Kusha is a neighbor; Lori Hairston was actually a customer with whom Crumpton got along so well that she asked for her number and told her she’d call when she had an opening. That was nine years ago.

The newest hire is Emily Wingate, a 23-year-old University of South Florida student who walked in a year ago to buy a present for a friend and so moved Crumpton by her personal story and dedication to her family that Crumpton felt compelled to hire her, even though there was no clear position available at the time.

Crumpton says Wingate has since been an indispensable part of the team, setting up not only la Pink’s website, but also the boutique’s Instagram, twitter, Facebook and Pinterest sites.

“This is a team,” says Crumpton. “We get each other. There’s no drama.”

Customer Anjali Gandhi agrees, saying, “la Pink is my favorite place to shop!! Love the clothes. Judi, Lori, and Amy are awesome!

la Pink Boutique is located at 18035 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. and is open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. For info, visit laPinkonline.com, visit the store on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest, call 972-2862 or see the ad on pg. 16 of this issue.