Valparaiso’s second annual Pink Friday event, held the Friday before Thanksgiving, marked another milestone in the city’s celebration of small businesses. Introduced to the area by Kasey Hoag, owner of Six Cypress Boutique, the event has quickly become an anticipated pre-holiday tradition for both residents and visitors. Pink Friday, a nationwide initiative, shines a spotlight on small businesses, encouraging shoppers to support their local communities ahead of the holiday season.
Offering a festive shopping experience with exclusive deals and promotions at participating stores, the event provides an early opportunity to jump-start holiday shopping while boosting the local economy by driving traffic to independently owned businesses. In Valparaiso, Pink Friday has united the community and become a key celebration of the vibrant local shopping scene.
Katie Abel, executive director of Valparaiso Events, reflected on the success of this year’s event, noting its growing popularity since its launch in 2023. Pink Friday serves not only as an opportunity to snag early holiday deals but also as a vital boost for the local economy.
“Small local businesses are the backbone of our community, especially our downtown,” Abel added. “We’re always grateful for their involvement and for the attendees and customers who come out to support them through their shopping.”
Hoag emphasized the value of local connections and the role businesses like hers play in keeping downtown Valparaiso vibrant.
“Without the restaurants and retail stores, there is no cute downtown,” Hoag said. “We want to create an engaging experience where people can shop, gather, and really feel part of the community.”
She also shared her excitement about the energy surrounding the event.
“The feedback has been fantastic—people are saying downtown is busy and bumping,” Hoag said. “It’s so rewarding to see shoppers out with pink bags, following the map, and supporting all the businesses. It’s more than just getting what you need—it’s about the experience. We’re really focused on making sure people feel comfortable and letting them try something different they’ve never tried before.”
Ashley Wisniewski, an employee at Indie Indie Bang Bang, echoed this sentiment about local shopping. The boutique, which has locations in both Miller Beach and Valparaiso, prides itself on carefully curating its products to reflect the community.
“We carefully select every item in our store; nothing is mass-produced,” Wisniewski said. “Each piece is chosen with the community of Valparaiso in mind. We want our customers to feel a connection to what they’re purchasing, knowing it’s something that resonates with the people here.”
Paulette Domke, owner of Bangles Boutique, has seen firsthand how Valparaiso has transformed into a vibrant shopping hub.
“We have people coming from all over—Indianapolis, Schererville, Michigan, and beyond,” she said. “Women get together and love to travel here to meet up, spend a few nights, and shop at our amazing stores. When I first came down here 25 years ago, this town was pretty much dead. But then everything changed when they redid Washington Street, and it just came to life.”
Despite weathering tough times, including the challenges of COVID-19, Domke’s business has continued to grow. “We’ve made it through, and with everything happening downtown now, my business is thriving,” she said. “I’m hopeful I’ll be here for another 25 years.”
Peggy S. Hoffer, owner of Cose Belle, a fairly new specialty boutique, is excited to join the Pink Friday celebration next year after seeing the excitement it brings to downtown. Hoffer, who opened Cose Belle six months ago, began with the space from scratch, cleaning it up and transforming it into a beautiful boutique based on her vision. Cose Belle, meaning "beautiful things" in Italian, offers a curated collection of luxury and eco-friendly products, including French linens, elegant tableware, comfy sleepwear, distinctive jewelry, and unique home décor.
The store features both vintage and contemporary styles. Hoffer envisions Cose Belle as a destination for meaningful gifts to celebrate life's milestones, whether it’s a birth, graduation, or holiday. She is also working to introduce a registry system for weddings, baby showers, and other special occasions to make it easier for customers to find the perfect gift to mark life’s joyful moments.
“I wanted to create a place where people could come in and check out a specialty home and gift boutique,” said Peggy S. Hoffer, owner of Cose Belle. “So if you want a gift for someone special—or even yourself—you can find it here.”
Pink Friday highlights the significance of small businesses in Valparaiso and the community that supports them. With each year, the event grows in popularity, bringing more attention to the vibrant downtown area and encouraging shoppers to connect with the businesses that make the city unique.
Learn more about Pink Friday by visiting here.
