About Simple Life

Pamela

Owner

My journey with Simple Life began long before I became its owner.

I came to the United States from Peru in 2013. I had left behind a life I had built in Peru—a good career, a good life, and everything that was familiar to me. Coming to a new country where I didn't speak English meant starting over in many ways.

For me, it felt like being born again and learning everything from the beginning.

That same year, I joined Simple Life as a salesperson.

When Viola, the owner of Simple Life at the time, interviewed me, she told me, “You don't need to talk much. You just need to have a very good attitude, take good care of our customers, and you will learn quickly.”

She was right.

I learned English while working at Simple Life, but I learned much more than a language. I learned how to connect with customers, how to understand what they were looking for, and what it takes to run a boutique.

I still remember one moment from those early days.

A customer was buying some clothes and said, “I'm going to wear these out. Can you pass me the scissors so I can cut the tag?”

I knew what scissors were, but at that time I wasn't yet familiar enough with English to immediately recognize the word when she said it. She noticed my confusion and moved her fingers like scissors to show me what she meant.

Suddenly, I understood and said, “Oh, yes. I'm sorry. I'm learning English.”

She looked at me and said, “Don't apologize. At least you speak two languages. I only speak one.”

I have never forgotten those words.

They reminded me that learning something new is nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes, starting over is simply another way of growing.

In 2015, I left Simple Life to open and run a small boutique of my own in Pike Place Market. It was an important step for me. I wanted to take everything I had learned and experience what it was like to run a store myself.

When I told Viola what I was going to do, she was genuinely happy for me. Before we said goodbye, we had a private conversation that I have never forgotten.

I told her, “Viola, I know that one day, when your husband retires, you may move to Florida. When that time comes, please keep me in mind as the first person you think of if you ever decide to sell the store.”

I didn't know then how meaningful those words would become.

In December 2017, around Christmas time, Viola called me.

She was ready to sell Simple Life, and she wanted to talk to me.

I was surprised. Something I had once said almost as a goodbye had come back to me as a real possibility.

For me, that phone call felt like a blessed Christmas gift.

In 2018, I became the owner of Simple Life.

Looking back, I realize that my journey was never something I planned. Life brought me to this country, taught me how to begin again, gave me the courage to build something of my own, and eventually brought me back to where my story had started.

I am a lawyer with a Master’s degree in Business Law, but my greatest lessons have come from life, from people, and from the women I have had the privilege of meeting through Simple Life.

Today, I don't see our work as simply selling clothes.

We believe clothing can change the way a woman feels.

We want to bring out the beauty that is already there—to help every woman feel comfortable, confident, beautiful, and completely herself.

I care deeply about creating a genuine and memorable shopping experience. I want every woman who walks through our door to feel welcomed, listened to, and comfortable being herself.

For me, Simple Life is about much more than fashion.

It is about connection, beauty, confidence, and making every woman feel a little more like herself.

Tammy

Team Member

Tammy is an important part of the history and heart of Simple Life and has been part of the store for more than 18 years.

Her years of experience have given her an extraordinary knowledge of our designers, fabrics, textures, patterns, and the details that make a garment truly special.

But what makes Tammy so valuable to our customers goes beyond her knowledge of fashion. She has a naturally warm way of caring for people, and she understands that finding the right clothing is about much more than size or style.

She knows our collections inside and out and can often recognize what a customer is looking for before she even knows how to describe it.

For generations of Simple Life customers, Tammy has been a familiar and trusted face in the boutique. Her warmth, experience, and deep understanding of quality have become part of the character of Simple Life itself.

We are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of our story.