Starting a business is a time-consuming and challenging process regardless of the entrepreneur’s age, but a Grayson County teenager is diving head-first into the business world and using tragic events in her life as fuel for her fire.
Maddi Horton, who turned 19 earlier this month, is opening “Pretty in Pink by Maddi,” a boutique that caters to women, men and children.
The tragic inspiration
Maddi’s motivation for launching the business stems from heartbreaking experiences she’s endured in her young life.
“Growing up, my mamaw (Rita Duvall) and papaw (Leitchfield Fire Chief Tim Duvall) raised me. I experienced addiction with both of my parents ,and then I’ve lost a lot of people in the last four years,” Maddi said. “My mamaw and papaw have been a really big help. They have supported me, and my siblings have been there for me.”
The primary impetus, though, for Maddi’s deep dive into the business world was the death of her uncle, Josh Duvall, in a tragic accident in July 2022.
“So, I hit a rock bottom spot in life after my uncle passed away,” Maddi said. “And retail therapy really helped me. So, I’m hoping to bring something to Grayson County that will help a lot of people shop, just get away from their problems for a little bit, and just give them something to do.”
(Retail therapy or shopping therapy is shopping with the primary purpose of improving the shopper’s mood or disposition and fighting depression.)
From tragedy to action
After recovering from the loss of her uncle (as much as a teenager can “recover” from such a heartbreaking loss), Maddi set her sights on a business that would not only possibly help others through difficult times, but also provide an affordable place to shop for all manner of clothing, embroidered clothing, homemade blankets, and hats, among many other items, for the entire family.
It was this summer when Maddi and her close friend, Hayley Lindsey, began discussing the possibility of opening a boutique.
“In August is when me and Hayley really sat down and looked at all the logistics that we needed to open a boutique,” Maddi stated.
In October, Maddi and Lindsey found a location at 120 South English Street in Leitchfield that was affordable, and began the arduous process of preparing the space to become “Pretty in Pink by Maddi.”
Both women have other jobs, as Maddi works in the home health industry in Breckinridge County while Lindsey, 21, is a college student who’s at Lawler Elementary performing observations as part of her student-teaching.
Showing they are not averse to hard work and long hours, when both young women finish their day jobs, they go to the boutique and work until late in the evening preparing the shop to open.
(Lindsey begins her student-teaching assignment in January at Lawler, as she will manage the boutique’s social media presence and website, scheduled to launch in early December.)
“Pretty in Pink by Maddi”
In addition to national brands, including the ever-popular Bamboo Clothing line, Maddi has several people who make personalized and embroidered clothing and other products to fill the boutique and give the shop a local flavor:
- Kelly Williams and Jamie Filburn: Homemade blankets, bows and paci clips
- Jessi Fentress: Cups, stickers and pens
- Lindsey Miller: Embroidered clothing
- Lauren Atwood: Crocheted stuffed animals
Additionally, in heartfelt recognition of her late Uncle Josh, Maddi named her children’s line of clothing after Josh’s two children, five-year-old Kendall and three-year-old Mac. The line is named “Reese and Ray” after Kendall and Mac’s middle names.
Besides clothing for the family, Maddi will offer a Trucker Hat Bar, where patrons will design their own caps (something she said is not available anywhere else in Grayson County), as well as a Charm Bar where people will design their own necklaces by adding charms from an unending range of options.
Maddi’s focus and vision for the boutique is to offer a wide range of sought-after merchandise, while keeping a keen eye on reasonable pricing.
“We want to have high-quality stuff, but we want it to be affordable,” Maddi said. “I want it to be a one-stop shop for the entire family.”
She is also looking forward to the future, and what exciting possibilities it might bring.
“My goal is to give it a year and see how we do, and depending on how it does, I would like to expand into a larger market.”
At barely 19-years-old, Maddi already speaks and thinks like an experienced entrepreneur with a vision for the future, as she battles to overcome her tragic past.
Open for Black Friday
“Pretty in Pink by Maddi,” at 120 South English Street in Leitchfield, will be open on Black Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The boutique will officially open on Friday, December 6 with a Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Normal business hours will be Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
(Headline photo: Maddi Horton in front of “Pretty in Pink by Maddi,” courtesy of Shanelle Mason)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
