When Debbie Henry evacuated her Altadena home in early January, she packed plenty of clothes for her weekend getaway.
That’s what she did the last three times she was evacuated due to the threat of a wildfire. Every time, she went home within hours. But this time it was different.
Overnight, Eaton Fire destroyed the Atadena home, including a stretch on Fair Oaks Avenue, where Henry lives with her husband and granddaughter. A heroic neighbor saved her home, but a few weeks later she was still waiting for her insurance rating and green light to go home. And she desperately needed more clothes.
Henry tried several donation centers, but in each she had to dig a pile of clothes until she found something of her size. Still, most of the pieces were not stained, torn or tired.
A friend then told her about Coves Boutique.
Kelly Fleurer, who lost his home in Altadena at Etonfire, tries on clothes at Coves Boutique.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Surrounded by clusters of car shops in Burbank, plus-sized clothing stores typically specialize in affordable fashions ranging from 10 to 26 sizes. In early January, shopkeeper Olivia Pyle began donating clothing to help plus-size fire victims return their wardrobe to their former glory, making it affordable. Ta.
“I thought it was necessary,” the 25-year-old entrepreneur said. Shopping as a plus size person is hard enough. Adding a need to the equation suddenly leaves you purchased from the bottom of the barrel. Pyle wanted to give people a different experience. They are the ones to choose from the clean and fashionable options they knew would suit them.
“People have lost their homes, not dignity,” she said. “They should be able to choose.”
Windfall’s donation allowed Pyle to choose the items she accepted. After she did a quality check and sorted by size and type, she added a pick to a very well curated display, so when Henry came to Cove in late January, she gave a donation was finished and barely identified where the regular stocks of the store began.
Henry told Pyle that she was shopping for her 14-year-old granddaughter, Amiya. “But if you have something for me,” she smirked.
The pair browsed metal racks, but Henry paused to ask Amiya to read the prices from time to time, but as Pile reminded dozens of other customers, they weren’t understated It reminded me that it doesn’t have to be. She had enough donations.
Olivia Pyle has set up a donation center in Shop, a Coves boutique in Burbank, for LA County victims looking for plus-sized clothing and shoes.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Eventually, Henry left his pyjamas, two shirts, a pullover sweater, and Amyiah’s t-shirt and tormented denim jacket. Once things settled, they promised that Pyle would return.
Pyle received the same promise a week ago after hours visiting with Debbie Mirei and her daughters Amanda and Sarah Millie.
Millies lost his Altadena home, which he had been renting for over two years at Eton Fire. Without an emergency warning, they ran out of the house after seeing their neighbors escape and carrying only UNO cards (Sara), laptop (Amanda) and three pets.
They reasoned that they would be back in a week. On January 18, LA County Public Works conducted an inspection of the property and declared it a “loss of total structure.” Government documents, clothing, Amanda hearing aid supplies – they were all lost to the flames.
Debbie and Amanda had luck wearing clothes at a local donation center, but Sarah, who has Down syndrome, struggled to find an item that would fit her plus-sized 4-foot-10-inch frame.
In an early Instagram message with Pyle, Amanda flagged Sarah’s percentage, adding that her sister loved the bright colors. When they visited Cove a few days later, they were greeted by Pyle and her mother, Stacey Pyle (who flew out of Utah to help with donations) and was chosen solely for Sarah.
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1. The jeans are on display at Coves Boutique. Burbank stores usually specialize in affordable ways, sizes 10-26. 2. Cove’s various shoes. Owner Olivia Pyle said he wanted fire victims who needed clothes and shoes to choose from the clean, fashionable options they knew would suit them . 3. Fire victims fill the bag with clothes and choose shoes at the cove. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
“They were pretty spot-on,” Amanda said. Every time Sarah tried out a new ensemble, she said, “It was like a bit of a fashion show. She giggled.”
Since they were evacuated, Sarah continued to talk about how much she missed her old ones: a butterfly ring, a red dress, an Olivia Rodrigo t-shirt, Amanda said. She had a hard time realizing that they were really gone.
Now, “She has something new to attach,” Amanda said.
Pyle plans to continue offering free shopping to fire victims until February 15th, she said. She then focuses on giving the surplus inventory to her new home. Perhaps at Quirk, a lovintage store that launched an initiative similar to Coves in early January.
Or maybe she’ll spread out the pieces, she said, “to make sure there’s a plus size everywhere, especially where there’s a chance that it’s going to rise a little more forever.”
Then comes in late February and she celebrates her 1st anniversary at Burbank. She hopes that many repeat visitors will join.
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