Colorful Fashion
 

   The Pine Needle opened last May in the former Valley Winds women's apparel building along Main Street in La Veta. The store's focus is women’s apparel, accessories and gifts. Included in the gift category are gifts for babies, children and men. This is owner Cathy Bailey-Brown's first venture into the retail world, but she's not alone. Marta Moore, previous owner of Valley Winds, helped Cathy realize her dream. Both women were registered nurses, and were looking for a career change. Now Marta teaches Cathy the retail business and together they attend the buyers' markets. The Denver Market is their new home away from home. The learning curve is steep and Cathy's learning the business first hand. "There's a new language to learn and many decisions must be made quickly. Management of a retail business, in some ways, is very similar to my experience in nursing management. There are deadlines to meet and a budget to follow. But the cash register, credit card machine and daily bookkeeping is a whole new concept," humors Cathy.

The Pine Needle carries many of the clothing lines previously sold in the store, such as Phool, Sacred Threads, Keren Hart, Focus, Avalin, Cactus, Katherine Marie and many more. Husband, Terry Brown, and his daughter, Courtney, are her biggest supporters and helpers. "I also have work support from some ladies in the community." The community has been very supportive during the first few months of operation. Some customers say the store has a Santa Fe look and feel without the Santa Fe prices. If you are looking for those unique clothing pieces or those essential pieces, stop by The Pine Needle.