Small Business Spotlight: Sullivan’s Pin-ups
“If you’re not having fun, why do it, right?” That’s the mantra of Bonnie and Joe Sullivan, owners and photography duo behind Sullivan’s Pin-ups in Olyphant, and the community seems to agree. A local client and resident describes the studio as “the best thing to happen [to] downtown Olyphant in a really long time,” creating an “energy” that is breathing fresh air into the downtown strip. Offering vintage pinup, modern/alternative pinup, and boudoir, Sullivan’s offers any woman, of any size, the opportunity to feel sexy and glamorous. Although lingerie is left to the client to purchase (with helpful suggestions from the photographers, if desired), clients have access to a wardrobe closet with sizes from 4 to 20, in addition to complimentary hair and makeup with any package.
“We didn’t invent the pinup photography thing,” Bonnie says. “Our services aren’t necessarily unique to us, but the experience is.” Both Sullivans participate in every shoot to get a collection of the best shots possible, a personal touch you’re unlikely to find elsewhere: “male eye” vs “female eye.” That eye for a client’s most flattering angles has garnered them a devout national fan base, despite their lack of professional training. “Women always want to feel gorgeous and have a chance to be in the spotlight for even a day, which is the experience offered in our studio.”
Clients rave about the professional, yet creative and comfortable environment cultivated at Sullivan’s Pin-Ups, epitomized by one satisfied customer who cheers, “You’re studio is cool, cute, and there’s no air of pretentiousness.” That creativity is displayed in events such as the overnight photo session in September for seven lucky ladies at the infamous Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast in Fall River, Massachusetts, organized exclusively by the Sullivans. “You don’t hear of many [local] photography studios doing anything like that,” Bonnie proudly explains.
You can check out the craze for yourself by meeting the duo in person in downtown Olyphant, searching for them on Facebook, or looking them up at www.SullivansPinUps.com.
