About Us
THE JUANITA BOUTIQUE was created to offer you the highest quality, and most unique merchandise on the market today. Our team of designers put lots of love and careful attention in each item. We hope you enjoy our work as much as we enjoy bringing it to you. Wilheimina Long, of BRITLON, Inc, a woman-owned African-American small business, created THE JUANITA BOUTIQUE in loving memory of her beloved sister Juanita Simmons. BRITLON is a creative services design company. www.britlon.com. We are proud to be a woman-owned African-American small business. Thanks for shopping with us and showing your support.
We offer many specialized collections that you will not find anywhere else. A fan favorite collection is for "ANGEL THE PUG -- the cute little pug" one of the characters in "Ray the Buffalo & Friends" children's books series, created by Wilheimina to bring new positive characters to the lives of children and adults everywhere -- Please visit our partner website for the books that compliments the ANGEL COLLECTION at www.angelthepug.com and www.raythebuffalo.com.
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WHO IS JUANITA?
In her younger years, Juanita was a fashion model and a Girls Scouts troop leader. She was a 1999 founding member of Youth Matter Inc where she was a volunteer and she also provided service in the community. She stayed in the background so that others could shine. In February 2017 while a patient at the Sentara Hospice House she received the 2016 President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award signed by President Obama. Juanita believed in the importance of education. She had a love for history and educated everyone about historic facts.
After 33 years of employment with the Portsmouth Department of Social Services, she retired. Her work was so outstanding that after her retirement, they called her back to work, and without hesitation she returned because of her desire to help others. She continued work until her health began to fail in November 2016.
Juanita was known for her beautiful long gray hair, along with her sweet and quiet spirit. She loved people and was so caring. She was nurturing as she worried about others, whether it was a family member, a friend, or a stranger she met. When someone needed help with something important, they knew that they could depend on Juanita to do the research for them.
Juanita was a faithful member of Christian Antioch Church in Christ, Portsmouth, VA for 35 years — a true servant of God and his people; always willing to offer a “helping hand.” She was instrumental in the development of the Evangelism Ministry at Christian Antioch Church in Christ. She would go into the community to places that others were afraid to venture, in her desire to reach others to help them in any way that she could, taking down names and following up with them.
In 2010, Juanita became a grandmother, and it was love at first sight when she met her beautiful grandson, Makhi who knew her as Nana. She was a military mom with her only son Ronald serving the country as a Marine and a Soldier. During his 4 deployments, she sent care packages to him and his comrades – another sign of her giving spirit.
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