Colorful vintage fabrics fill clothing racks while old-fashioned jewelry rests on tables in an array of freshly polished gold and silver. Mannequins, fashionably styled with care, stand tall as customers walk in and out of the storefront all day long. Some patrons are as unique as the vintage clothing that hangs on the racks, waiting anxiously to be picked up and given a new home. 

Located at Newport on the Levee, PAU Boutique is a treasure trove filled with vintage clothing, accessories, home decor and preloved luxury items– a haven for those with a passion for finding quality secondhand treasures. 

The 28-year-old owner, Paula Del Castillo, always had a creative eye for fashion. Del Castillo grew up in La Paz, Bolivia and moved to Newport with her family and sister Adriana. Since childhood, Del Castillo has expressed herself by creating things of her own. 

“Ever since I was really little, I always had personal style. I loved to wear anything unique and different, so it was no surprise when I decided to go to design school,” Del Castillo said. 

Her talent led to her acceptance at University of Cincinnati’s design, architecture, art and planning program, where she graduated with a fashion design degree in 2021, driving her to then start her own business. 

Before PAU Boutique took off, Del Castillo started with a vision. She took notice of the environmental crisis created by fast fashion and hoped others would seek more environmentally friendly alternatives.  

“Though designing my own sustainable brand was always in the back of my mind, knowing how much fast fashion waste is polluting our earth is what reassured me that trying to keep things out of landfills and giving pieces a second life is my priority,” she said. 

After writing a business plan, she got to work. She came up with the name, mission, website and social media. She also sourced, cleaned and mended merchandise and found a location.  

The most important part—supplying items—is a process that requires patience and strategy. Del Castillo finds creative ways to source her products through online auctions and charity shops.

She also resources clothing from Goodwill, where countless items are thrown out and forgotten. 

“Going to the Goodwill bins and sourcing through the stuff they’re about to throw away is also important to see if these are things that can be used or donated before polluting,” she said. 

Del Castillo thrives off the excitement of finding quality pieces and restoring them. But what excites her the most is the sense of community. 

“I would describe the thrift community as creative individuals with love for unique, quality items and sustainability. Part of the importance of the thrift community is mending, fixing and upcycling items that have been deemed unusable or unwearable and giving them a second life,” she said.

However, running a boutique is a lot for one person. So, Del Castillo recruited her sister, Adriana, to help manage operations.  

Adriana Del Castillo is an NKU alumna who majored in anthropology. After graduating, she decided to pursue the thrifting business. She contributes by running the store for her sister a couple of days a week.

To Adriana, working at PAU Boutique is more than just a job, it’s about family.  

“I enjoy the fact that, first off, I’m helping my sister and helping my family. Because to us, that’s one of the most important aspects of life—being very family-oriented. And I also enjoy having a small impact in mass production,” Adriana said.  

As a self-started, family-owned, Latina-led store, PAU Boutique continues to make an impact on Newport’s growing support for small businesses. 

“I think a lot more people are starting to gravitate toward helping small businesses. And I think it makes an impact knowing it’s Latina-owned,” Adriana said.  

She also values the customers they’ve connected with.  

Kasey Kirchner, from Louisville, visited PAU Boutique for the first time and was immediately intrigued by the space. 

“My first impression of the store was that it had a very unique vibe with different clothes and knick-knacks. I have never seen a store like that before, and I thought it was cool. I also think it’s nice because the prices are sometimes more reasonable from local businesses than main chain stores,” Kirchner explained. 

Kirchner discovered a newfound appreciation for local stores like PAU and recognized their importance in the community.   

Today, PAU Boutique has a permanent location, a steady flow of merchandise and loyal customers, but it is still growing. Del Castillo sees her store as an ongoing project that will only continue to expand. 

When asked about her ultimate goal for the store, Del Castillo responded with passion.

“I hope to impact my customers and community by speaking about slow fashion and questioning our consumption habits within this capitalist society. Of course, while also empowering women and encouraging old school glamour and quality clothing,” she explained. 

And what does she love most? 

“What I love most about what I do is how authentic I feel doing it. No one business is perfect & there will always be critics, but we try every day to be a bit better and do what we can to not only feel fulfilled in our society but also be true to our values,” Del Castillo said. 

Del Castillo welcomes those passionate about finding secondhand treasures into her boutique, where one person’s trash becomes another one’s treasure.