Cool Communities: Strip District

When walking through the Strip District, a bright, colorful store with handmade sweaters hanging outside its doors may catch the eye. This vibrant shop is Lucy's Handmade Clothing Store, an affordable vendor that sells inexpensive clothes and jewelry.

"Unique," "different" and "colorful" are three words customers use to describe this hidden gem in the Strip District. In addition to jewelry, Lucy's carries handmade clothing, such as sweaters and gloves that range in price from $10 to $35, in addition to exquisite musical instruments like hand shakers that cost about $10.

Lucy's is an affordable shop that sells clothes, jewelry, musical instruments and small knick-knacks. Glass rings, earrings and necklaces range from $5 to $15. Handmade sweaters, shirts and pants range from $15 to $30. The musical instruments that Lucy's offers range from $5 to $20, all depending on the size of the instrument. Right now, the biggest sellers are the handmade gloves and scarves that start at $10.

With a South American feel, Lucy's is a charming store in the midst of a hectic main street. 

"People's faces light up when they come in," owner Lucy Guajan said.

Guajan has run the store for the last three years and originally owned a stand on the street for 10 years. Hailing from Ecuador, Guajan brought her family's own handcrafted products to America.

"I was afraid at first, and the first year was hard, but people seemed to like my style," Guajan said.

Guajan remembers when the Strip was not well-known.

"Even Saturdays weren't this busy. A big change has come here, and tourists find the Strip very appealing," Guajan said. 

Upon walking into Lucy's, customers will be overwhelmed with color, South American music and a sense of detail that is threaded through every piece in the store. Guajan sells items from Ecuador, like the handmade clothing, jewelry from Peru and scarves from India. Her top sellers during the winter are scarves and gloves.

"In my culture, family is everything," Guajan said. "We help each other. My family are my helpers."

Guajan has a 14-year-old daughter to help manage the store. She also employs Oliva Donnan, a Pittsburgh native, to help.

"I see myself as a walking advertisement for this store," Donnan said. "I have so many things from here and it's hard to not spend my whole paycheck here."

In the summer, Lucy's is packed with tourists, but Guajan loves that they are interested in her store. She sells cotton dresses of different colors for $20 and embroidered products with intricate hand-sewn flowers during the summer season.

Guajan's sister runs one of the stands outside, which allows them to connect with a larger group of people in the Strip District.

Guajan's store carries products for all ages. She sells onesies for infants and products like heavy sweaters and light, airy tops for the young and old alike. Guajan also takes pride in the atmosphere of her store, which includes musical instruments that people seem to enjoy.

"The musical instruments are some of my favorites," Guajan said. "They are so different from the ones usually sold around here. They are unique."

Kaylin Martella, a Pittsburgh native and university student at Penn State, was drawn into the store because of the large selection of jewelry, ranging from large earrings to hand-woven bracelets.

"I've never really explored the Strip District and was really interested in a store like this," Martella said.

She said she was surprised to find out everything was handmade and loved the color combinations used in the products.

"My store is different and unique. Even our fitting rooms are different. I just love it all," Guajan said.

With colors and music to draw a crowd, Lucy's handmade clothing speaks for itself.