Locals say women are leading as small businesses owners in Orcutt

ORCUTT, Calif. -- People in Orcutt gathered for the grand opening of Sapphire Shoes a new business owned by a local female entrepreneur. Locals say many new businesses in Orcutt are being opened by women.

Crystal Suarez says she was inspired to open Sapphire Shoes to bring her favorite city styles to her hometown on the Central Coast. Suarez says it was important for her to open a store that could help women feel confident and for her daughters to see her hard work. She's not new to business as she's been a fitness trainer and nutritional coach for over a decade on social media with almost two hundred thousand followers.

“I love Orcutt, and Orcutt needs a little bit of that fashion trendiness that LA style has to offer. So I'm glad I'm able to bring that to Orcutt. -- Orcutt is growing. It's a community that needs a little youthfulness to come in, and be able to offer them a little variety," said Suarez.

More recently, Suarez was forced to re-start her influencer journey and regain her followers after her instagram page was taken down. She was fearful the impact of her social media would affect her store opening but Suarez didn't give up.

"Life is hard and we have to get up every single day and we still have to go out there and do what we got to do. And with a good pair of shoes, I feel like we're going to walk through doors that God is going to open for us," said Suarez.

The business owner was supported by family and friends who traveled from southern California to join her on her special day. Her father flew in from out of state to support the opening of her first store. Suarez says she learned her entrepreneurial skills from her father who opened his first business in Santa Maria when she was a child.

She says she takes pride in being a first-generation Latina, breaking barriers in the community and being a single mother of three. Her daughters also have their own businesses within the store. Caylee's Candles is her oldest daughter's business -- she is selling her scented homemade candles. Caylee took a business course with the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce where she learned the ins and outs of being a business owner.

Jaylan's Jewels is her daughters jewelry corner, where guests have an opportunity to get jeweled with permanent gold plated jewelry. Her daughter Gianna's Gumballs is her youngest, where she will be selling gumballs in a vintage gumball machine. Suarez said she not only wanted to include her daughters in her business venture but also wanted to teach them the importance of entrepreneur skills.

"I was looking to start a business, one that I can manage and do while being a full time mother, bringing in my daughters. I'm able to do this and have them be a part of the store and also share my passion for fashion. Shoes is something I'm very passionate about. I love my shoes and you can't go wrong with a good pair of shoes it makes the whole outfit," said Suarez.

But Suarez is sending women off with more than just a pair of shoes. With every purchase she writes a Bible verse to motivate her customers to keep faith and to keep persevering through life's challenges.

"I think it's very important not just because it's a shoe store, but because of the message that Crystal brings with the shoe store, empowering women, getting Closer to God, just the meaning behind it. She is so amazing, at making you feel more than just being a shoe store. In orcutt we really don't have this type of fashion or shoes that are accessible to us," said Nancy Morales an Orcutt local.

The line was filled with excited shoppers to check out the latest trends and styles handpicked by Suarez. Many shoppers said the shoes and accessories they saw in the store were items that would have to be ordered online or only sold in Los Angeles.

"I always feel like this is something you order online, so it's really nice to come into the store and just try on the shoe, put them on, see how it looks. I love it. I'm in love. I knew she was working on this behind camera and today I've seen it for the first time come to vision. I'm so proud of her," said Morales.

The store will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, to learn more or shop visit the link below.

https://shopsapphireshoes.com/ Sapphire Shoes, 1140 East Clark Ave, Santa Maria CA 93455.