LEXINGTON, Ky. — One Lexington boutique opened its doors just days before the pandemic started. With community support, Whiskey and Lace Boutique has been able to stay open throughout these past few months.

Amanda Crisp, the owner of Whiskey and Lace, opened its doors to the community in early March. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, within a few weeks Crisp had to shut the doors and look for ways to adjust for the income loss.

“I was shut down. Two weeks after we opened, and I talked to my family and everybody was just like, 'listen, you're not gonna survive this pandemic like there's something else that you have got to do,'” Crisp said.

Crisp said before opening the boutique she worked as a Respiratory Therapist, but this boutique had been a passion project for a few months now.

It was a project she wouldn’t let a pandemic get in the way of.

“I think that was like God's timing for me to get out and open this business, and January I had it and I just put all my savings into it, and it was not an option not to fail. It's not an option,” Crisp said.

After the first shutdown, Crisp decided to expand her boutique and help out local hair stylists by opening up a hair salon inside her shop. 

“Well, what woman doesn't like to come and shop and get their hair fixed and so I thought this was an amazing idea," Crisp said. "And I did it. So there wasn't an option of, you know, you're not going to survive this pandemic."

Being open the past few months has been difficult for Crisp and her boutique, but because of the Lexington community they've survived during these tough times.

“And they have been amazing like they will show stuff on their social media and everybody talks to everybody and, like, they have been amazing, helping me like to survive,” Crisp said.