YORK — When Cindi Strickland, a mother of four and owner of the boutique Pink Hillbilly, started her business out of a pantry closet in her home, she had no idea it would grow to include two storefronts — or become a family affair.
Pink Hillbilly, which has locations in Williamsburg and York County, is part retail focusing on women’s fashion and formalwear, part coffee shop and part screen printing and embroidery. Strickland started the business in 2012 and today runs it alongside her daughter, Morgan.
“I like it because it’s unique,” said Morgan Strickland, who joined the business full-time in 2024 after college. “It’s also a lot of fun to pick out what we carry in the store.”
Cindi Strickland, who hails from York County and has a background in design, first started Pink Hillbilly while living in Chicago. She initially began making aprons for a chocolate factory and later learned to screen print and embroider shirts for school sports teams and other organizations. As for the name, “they called me a hillbilly in Chicago because of my accent, and I like the color pink,” she said.
When the Strickland family returned to the area a few years ago, Cindi Strickland operated the business out of her garage, but quickly ran out of space.
“I prayed about it and decided to open a brick-and-mortar because there was really nowhere in Yorktown for ladies to shop,” she said.
Pink Hillbilly opened on George Washington Memorial Highway in 2022, then expanded closer to Williamsburg in 2024 with a storefront on Jamestown Road. In March, the York County shop relocated to a larger spot just down the road at 5333 George Washington Memorial Highway.
The Stricklands spent six months renovating the new space. The new building, which expanded square footage from 1,500 square feet to 6,500 square feet, enabled them to expand services as well. In addition to the clothing and screen-printing aspect, the expanded store has a room upstairs where they sell bridalwear and prom dresses, as well as a coffee shop with a patio.
“We figured people would be here for awhile anyway trying on clothes, so why not offer coffee and treats?” Cindi Strickland said. “We want this to be a place where everyone feels welcome to come and hang out.”
Pink Hillbilly sells women’s clothing including jeans, blouses, dresses, jackets and pajamas, as well jewelry, handbags, shoes, skincare products, books, home décor items and more. The store is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We are more than a clothing store,” Morgan Strickland said. “You wouldn’t think people would be in here shopping at seven in the morning, but they are. People like to come in to buy gifts. This morning people were in to buy stocking stuffers.”
Two of Cindi Strickland’s other children also help out as baristas, as well as her husband. She said she feels blessed that Morgan has joined her full-time.
“It’s really rewarding to spend the time together,” she said. “She’s watched me build the business from the ground up. I think that helps keep you humble, to know where you started and how you got there. It’s special for me, knowing that I am leaving a legacy for my kids.”
Thanks to social media, Pink Hillbilly’s fan base has grown beyond Hampton Roads, with some patrons frequently traveling down from Richmond, and others making a trip across the country from Colorado just to visit the store.
“It’s been hard to keep everything in stock,” Cindi Strickland said. “It’s exciting. I never imagined we would be here.”
For more information on Pink Hillbilly, visit pinkhillbilly.com.
Brandy Centolanza, bcentolanza@cox.net
