Page 15 - Indulge October/November 2014
P. 15
Lehigh Valley is home to fashion business and what makes a well- Photo by Briana Miller
many creative and successful turned-out woman this fall.
businesswomen. starting out. … They are very selective
We will be featuring a Q: What made you start about the boutiques they put their lines
woman who, by her actions, in. … (the shop each month) will have
can be seen as an inspiration to Boutique To Go? an experience of sorts — networking with
others in our community. Our other stores — I’m introducing Allentown
first profile is of Elena Pascal, owner of A:It started in 1997 and it wasn’t a to things they might never see.
Boutique To Go in Allentown.
A stop in the Boutique To Go shop brick and mortar place. I went to state Q: If you could give a piece of advice
in Allentown’s West End is a step into medical society conventions and would
a high fashion haven, with each item bring a 2,000-square-foot boutique, to fellow businesswoman looking to go
is hand selected by Elena. She credits including men’s things. … I would bring into retail, what would it be?
her fashion sense to her mother, the everything I had in my store, plus more.
late Dr. Myrtle M. Siegfried Vigilante of … It was really sort of a wonderful break A: I’m engaging my customers all
Allentown. She got the idea for Boutique in the convention for the people and their
To Go in 1992, when she attended a spouses as well. the time. … Everything is about
convention of the Pennsylvania Medical (Elena decided to give a permanent networking. You have to be available
Sociey Alliance wearing a new brooch home to Boutique To Go in 2007 and for your customers and you had better
and pair of earrings she had bought in opened her current shop at 522 N. be affable. I think they walk in my
New York City. After delegates wanted to 19th St., Allentown. She discusses her store and have a blast.
buy the jewelry, Elena took orders for the reasons for opening up shop in Allentown
pieces and her shop was born, although and working to help redevelop the Q: Is there anything considered
she didn’t formally call it Boutique To Go shopping district.)
until five years later. a must-have accessory this fall for
A Lehigh Valley native, Elena is active I wanted to support my city and I women of the Lehigh Valley?
in a number of philanthropic endeavors wanted to be a part of a neighborhood.
as well including The Pennsylvania I wanted it to be a destination place to A: All accessories are important for
Medical Society Alliance, The Weller go where people would find fun. … We
Center, Society of the Arts, The Girls wanted to make it feel safe for people what you wear. Your clothing is the
Club of Allentown, The West End and make sure it evolved for people as a canvas and your accessories are the
Business Alliance and The Greater wonderful shopping district for the West paint for it — the accents.
Lehigh Valley Youth Philharmonic. End of Allentown and people west of
She took time from her busy Allentown who don’t feel like schlepping Q: What’s the one accessory every
schedule to talk with us about the to Bethlehem (to shop).
woman should have?
Photo by Briana MillerQ: Did you find you had any extra
A: One amazing bag. You can forget
hurdles because of being a woman?
the jewelry, it’s OK. But we think when
A: There was never a hurdle. When I you’re dressed nicely and you’re carrying
a bag that looks like its been through the
started out in college it was unheard of to mill — get a new bag. It should be one
have a woman majoring very well-made bag that reflects them.
in business (in the
late 1960s). … My
husband and both
my sons have been
cheerleaders and my
team. … If I needed
help, they helped me.
I think the business
is very difficult to get
into now and retail
is difficult to get
in now. I’m at the
point in this business
where people call
me to carry their
lines — that wasn’t
the case when I was
many creative and successful turned-out woman this fall.
businesswomen. starting out. … They are very selective
We will be featuring a Q: What made you start about the boutiques they put their lines
woman who, by her actions, in. … (the shop each month) will have
can be seen as an inspiration to Boutique To Go? an experience of sorts — networking with
others in our community. Our other stores — I’m introducing Allentown
first profile is of Elena Pascal, owner of A:It started in 1997 and it wasn’t a to things they might never see.
Boutique To Go in Allentown.
A stop in the Boutique To Go shop brick and mortar place. I went to state Q: If you could give a piece of advice
in Allentown’s West End is a step into medical society conventions and would
a high fashion haven, with each item bring a 2,000-square-foot boutique, to fellow businesswoman looking to go
is hand selected by Elena. She credits including men’s things. … I would bring into retail, what would it be?
her fashion sense to her mother, the everything I had in my store, plus more.
late Dr. Myrtle M. Siegfried Vigilante of … It was really sort of a wonderful break A: I’m engaging my customers all
Allentown. She got the idea for Boutique in the convention for the people and their
To Go in 1992, when she attended a spouses as well. the time. … Everything is about
convention of the Pennsylvania Medical (Elena decided to give a permanent networking. You have to be available
Sociey Alliance wearing a new brooch home to Boutique To Go in 2007 and for your customers and you had better
and pair of earrings she had bought in opened her current shop at 522 N. be affable. I think they walk in my
New York City. After delegates wanted to 19th St., Allentown. She discusses her store and have a blast.
buy the jewelry, Elena took orders for the reasons for opening up shop in Allentown
pieces and her shop was born, although and working to help redevelop the Q: Is there anything considered
she didn’t formally call it Boutique To Go shopping district.)
until five years later. a must-have accessory this fall for
A Lehigh Valley native, Elena is active I wanted to support my city and I women of the Lehigh Valley?
in a number of philanthropic endeavors wanted to be a part of a neighborhood.
as well including The Pennsylvania I wanted it to be a destination place to A: All accessories are important for
Medical Society Alliance, The Weller go where people would find fun. … We
Center, Society of the Arts, The Girls wanted to make it feel safe for people what you wear. Your clothing is the
Club of Allentown, The West End and make sure it evolved for people as a canvas and your accessories are the
Business Alliance and The Greater wonderful shopping district for the West paint for it — the accents.
Lehigh Valley Youth Philharmonic. End of Allentown and people west of
She took time from her busy Allentown who don’t feel like schlepping Q: What’s the one accessory every
schedule to talk with us about the to Bethlehem (to shop).
woman should have?
Photo by Briana MillerQ: Did you find you had any extra
A: One amazing bag. You can forget
hurdles because of being a woman?
the jewelry, it’s OK. But we think when
A: There was never a hurdle. When I you’re dressed nicely and you’re carrying
a bag that looks like its been through the
started out in college it was unheard of to mill — get a new bag. It should be one
have a woman majoring very well-made bag that reflects them.
in business (in the
late 1960s). … My
husband and both
my sons have been
cheerleaders and my
team. … If I needed
help, they helped me.
I think the business
is very difficult to get
into now and retail
is difficult to get
in now. I’m at the
point in this business
where people call
me to carry their
lines — that wasn’t
the case when I was
