Sisters Lauren and Ashley Leighton always wanted to open their own boutique.
When their mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, they figured it was time to make their dreams come true.
“It made us realize that every day is precious and tomorrow isn’t promised,” said Ashley, 29. “We wanted to make this happen while she was here to see it.”
The sisters founded Uptown Girls Boutique in 2023 and opened a brick-and-mortar location this past October at 900 Rutter Ave. in Forty Fort.
The opening was especially meaningful to Lauren and Ashley’s mom, who is currently in treatment, fighting the same disease for a second time following another diagnosis in March 2024.
“I think it got her through the tougher days of her treatment,” Ashley said. “It gave her something to look forward to.”
At 900 Rutter, the sisters joined a community of local businesses, including Canning House, Taboo Pole Fitness, and Bathtime Boutique.
“All the business owners have been very supportive and welcoming,” said Lauren, 33. “It’s great to build relationships and forge those connections.”
The sisters combined their individual styles to create a collection of trendy, chic and casual pieces, which they say will appeal to a wide range of fashionistas.
When asked how they figure out what kind of clothing to sell, Lauren said they venture to New York City to meet with vendors to find the best options and build strong business partnerships.
“We want to see the pieces in person,” Ashley added. “Quality is really important to us, and we want to be able to touch the fabric.”
As siblings, Lauren and Ashley have a close relationship, having shared their love of shopping and fashion with each other from a young age. They acknowledge that all siblings might not get along with each other as well as they do, and they consider themselves lucky to have built a business together.
“I think we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses really well,” Lauren said.
Through their business, Lauren and Ashley have made it their mission to support local cancer research and services. For every piece of clothing sold, the sisters are will donate a portion of the proceeds to either the Susan G. Komen Foundation or the Cancer Wellness Center of NEPA.
“It’s obviously a cause that is close to our hearts,” Lauren said. “But we want to give back to the community in any way we can.”
On Feb. 8, during a Galentine’s Day celebration event at the boutique, the sisters will present their first check to the NEPA Cancer Wellness Center.
In keeping with the Valentine’s Day theme, Uptown Girls Boutique will also host a wine glass painting class, in partnership with Annamaly Art Studio, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6.
Those interested in attending can visit the events tab at shopuptowngirlsboutique.com to register.
Looking back on their journey, Ashley and Lauren know they couldn’t have achieved this success without help.
Specifically, Lauren gave a shoutout to the Small Business Development Center at Wilkes University.
“I wish we had known about them sooner than we did,” she explained. “We learned a lot from them.”
And, of course, they were grateful to their family, who helped them every step of the way.
“We wouldn’t be here without them,”said Ashley.
Although they still have full-time jobs in addition to owning Uptown Girls Boutique, the sisters don’t seem to mind juggling those responsibilities.
“If you want something bad enough,” Ashley said, “you’ll do whatever it takes.”
In addition to its online store, Uptown Girls Boutique is open 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.
The post Uptown Girls Boutique in Forty Fort gives back to community appeared first on Times Leader.