Paint it pink: Edinburg boutique supports breast cancer awareness

View larger image Fran Romeo leans on a rack of hand-tied comfort blankets made by Grandpa Jim and designed for chemotherapy patients. Romeo supports breast cancer awareness, and many of the items in her boutique, Fran Romeo & Co., on Main Street in Edinburg, are made by breast cancer survivors. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image A pink wig. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Romeo holds a stuffed bear made by a cancer survivor. Her boutique carries a variety of other items, including organic baby clothes, vintage jewelry and handbags. View larger image Some of Fran Romeo's assorted pink hats and bears available in her shop. Rich Cooley/Daily

By Jessica Wiant -- jwiant@nvdaily.com

EDINBURG -- Fran Romeo founded her boutique on the hope of a better economy -- and she's planning for the future in hopes of better weather.

Fran Romeo & Co. opened at 212 N. Main St. in October, featuring a wide selection of both new and old -- and local and nonlocal -- finds, from vintage wedding gowns and picture frames to chocolates and jewelry.

"Opening the shop was showing faith that our economy will recover," she said.

And when weather permits, Romeo has much more "in store," for her fledgling business.

In January, the shop held its first book signing, a tradition that Romeo would like to establish on Saturdays once a month, featuring a regional author.

She also wants musicians to find a home on her store's front porch, perhaps on the first Friday of every month.

Above all, she wants her store to be a place that promotes local talent, she said.

"We're all about promoting the valley," she said. "There's so much talent here that goes unnoticed or unrecognized."

On one side of the store, English cotton nightgowns, rattles, miniature rocking chairs, organic baby clothes and other mother and baby items make up Natty's Nook, a reinvention of the building's former tenant, Linens of London. Romeo's selections fill the rest of the shop, with old and new items commingling on shelves, in cases and on tables and chairs.

Vintage jewelry, hats, dresses, teacups and quilts are featured, as well new handbags, greeting cards and bath products. Items for sale come from yard sales, auctions, estate sales, buying trips to Atlanta, or, in some cases, are pitched to her by crafters.

"I shop the world over, Romeo said. "A lot of this stuff just speaks to me."

Romeo also plans on making truffles and seasonal candy available, from local sources when possible.

Of the variety in her shop, Romeo says what stands out is that the items are unique -- but one other common thread is obvious: There's also a lot of pink.

That's because Romeo has integrated her store's selection with one of her other interests, breast cancer awareness.

Romeo founded the nonprofit Paint Virginia Pink in 2008, she said, and through fundraising provides money for mammograms and wigs for breast cancer patients.

Many of the store's items feature the signature breast cancer awareness pink ribbon, and many were made by breast cancer survivors, she said.

"There'll always be a pink component to the shop," she said.

Romeo became involved with breast cancer awareness and prevention because both she and her mother lost friends to breast cancer when they were young adults, she said. Collecting money for the cause came naturally.

"I'd always been a fundraiser since I was a young child," she said.

In addition to fundraising through the nonprofit, she also donates a portion of her store's proceeds to her own and other breast cancer nonprofits. When an item comes from a breast cancer survivor, most of the money goes directly back to them, Romeo said.

Breast-cancer-pink items available at the store range from hand-tied fleece blankets made by the brother of a breast cancer patient, to flip-flops, bears, pins, hats, shirts and clogs, hand-painted glass pieces and a dog collar and leash -- and even candles that Romeo designed.

In addition to contributing to breast cancer awareness, Romeo donates 10 percent of her profits on the first Friday of each month to a predetermined local charity.

Those interested in being featured as a nonprofit, or someone with local items they'd like the store to stock, as well as local authors who might be interested in appearing for a book-signing, can contact Romeo at the shop.

Romeo also plans to launch an online version of the store soon, at franromeo.com.

Currently, winter hours at Fran Romeo & Co. are Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 5 p.m.

"We're getting a great reception from the community so far," she said.

More information about Fran Romeo & Co., at 212 N. Main St. in Edinburg, or Paint Virginia Pink is available by calling the shop at 984-3606 or e-mailing fran@theromeocompanies.com. More information about Natty's Nook is available by calling 984-3605 or e-mailing natty@shentel.net.