Embellish Boutique

From any of her shop’s numerous, sizable windows, Abby Lallemand can watch Pitt State’s new business college going up downtown. 

To her, it’s just one more sign of progress in Pittsburg. One more sign that the community keeps moving forward and trying new things. One more source of pride. 

“The people who say Pittsburg is not the place to be … they must not go downtown,” she said. “They must not be part of Pittsburg. The amount of growth we’ve seen in the past 10 years is incredible.

“We have so many local businesses that have popped up, so many cool restaurants,” she said. “Pittsburg does a great job of maintaining its small, hometown feel. But really there is so much going on in town.”

It’s that progress in downtown and throughout Pittsburg that gave Lallemand the confidence to take over Embellish Boutique, a longtime staple of downtown retail. She purchased the business from former owner Clara Barnes on January 1, 2024.

“I had been working in fashion for 10 years,” she said. “I went to PSU for fashion merchandising and marketing. I had worked in retail. So when Clara called me about this opportunity, I just knew it was my calling and meant to be.”

Embellish has a little something for everyone, Lallemand said. From fashion-forward clothing and accessories to home decor and baby gifts. 

“We really want to bring quality, timeless fashion to Pittsburg,” she said. “Then we also have all sorts of gifts and items for your home. We want to be part of everybody’s life in some way.”

Lallemand, a “longtime townie,” is also a fifth generation business owner. While continuing the family tradition as a small business owner means a lot to her, equally important is serving and working to improve the Pittsburg community.

“Pittsburg is the town that built me, built my parents,” she said. “Now we are raising our own kids here. It hits different. We love being part of a growing, active community. Everyone shows up for each other here in town.”

And as the owner of a downtown business, she gets to see firsthand how others – townies and visitors, alike – fall in love with the community.

“I’ve always loved Pittsburg,” she said. “Now seeing so many other people feel the same and wanting to stay and be in Pittsburg … it’s really cool. I know a lot of people who came here for school and ended up staying. 

“The more we can attract people to town and have them invest in our town, continue to revitalize the old buildings … it just brings more life to everything,” she said. 

Embellish Boutique is located at 123 N. Broadway.