Women-owned businesses in Winchester, Mass., bring fresh energy to downtown

TO CHECK SOME OF THEM OUT. MASSACHUSETTS HAS NO SHORTAGE OF COZY TOWN CENTERS BRIMMING WITH SHOP, LOCAL CHARM. PATTI RILEY WROTE TO CHRONICLE TO SAY THIS TOWN CENTER STANDS OUT. I’M REACHING OUT NOT ONLY AS A BUSINESS OWNER, BUT ALSO AS A LONGTIME VIEWER. I’M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN THE TOWN OF WINCHESTER, MASS. MYSELF, ALONG WITH ABOUT 12 OTHER WOMEN, ALL OWNED BOUTIQUES OF ALL KINDS IN DOWNTOWN WINCHESTER. IN FACT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 15 WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN ALONE. SO MY SISTER OWNS A SHOP HERE. ALSO, WE ALL GET THE SMALL BUSINESS THING AND HOW YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO MAKE IT WORK. RILEY OWNS JULES, A CHILDREN’S SHOP THAT DELIGHTS FANS OF ALL THINGS FLUFFY AND CHEERFUL FROM SWEET FASHIONS TO LE BUBU INSPIRED COLLECTIBLES, THE DOWNTOWN IS A NICE MIX OF RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL. THE PARKING IS FREE AND IT’S A HALF HOUR TO TWO HOUR LIMIT, WHICH IS GREAT. I MEAN ENOUGH TO DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO AND THERE IS A LOT TO DO. BOOKENDS IS A POPULAR BOOKSTORE FOR ALL AGES. ITS KIDS ROOM WINS PARTICULAR PRAISE FROM LOCALS, SAYS RILEY. WOMEN’S BOUTIQUES ABOUND IN WINCHESTER, MANY OF THEM CURATED BY SHOP OWNERS WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY. SO L’AMOUR IS ONE OF THEM. ITS SHELVES STOCKED WITH DESIGNER STYLES AND ACCESSORIES. THE DOWNTOWN IS AMAZING. THERE ARE SO MANY RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS, IT’S REALLY BUSY. IT’S DEFINITELY A LITTLE BIT OF A HIDDEN GEM. FLOWER POWER IS ON BRILLIANT DISPLAY AT FLOWERS, WHICH ALSO HAS A SHOP ON BEACON HILL. EMILEE MONTINI IS CO-OWNER AND LEAD FLORAL DESIGNER. WE ARE A FULL SERVICE FLORIST AND CONTAINER GARDEN COMPANY, SO WE DO GARDEN DESIGN, PREDOMINANTLY CONTAINER GARDENING LIKE WINDOW BOXES, ROOF DECKS, COURTYARDS. FLOWERS ALSO HAS A SMALL SELECTION OF HOME DECOR AND EVEN FAUX FLOWERS. WE LIKE TO BE BESPOKE, UNIQUE, BEAUTIFUL LUXURY PRODUCTS. WE SOURCE FROM LOCAL GROWERS AND AROUND THE WORLD. MONTINI AND HER TEAM ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO DISPENSE CARE TIPS TO CUSTOMERS WHO WALK OUT THE DOOR WITH A PRIZED PURCHASE. FRESH FLOWERS THEY NEED A LONG CUT WITH A SHARP KNIFE, CLEAN, FRESH WATER DAILY. KEEP THEM OUT OF THE SUN. HOUSEPLANTS. WE DEFINITELY SAY TO WATER THOROUGHLY, LESS OFTEN. MAKE SURE THEY DON’T SIT IN WATER AND KEEP THOSE IN THE PROPER LIGHT ENVIRONMENT. TWO NEW WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES ARE ALSO FLOURISHING IN WINCHESTER, INCLUDING TY, TO RUN A THAI RESTAURANT. IT STEPS AWAY FROM NOUVELLE MAISON, A MARKET AND BAKERY CELEBRATING THE TASTE OF FRANCE. I’M FROM FRANCE. YOU PROBABLY HEAR THE BRITISH ACCENT. I GREW UP FOR NINE YEARS IN THE UK. MY MOTHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER WERE BOTH HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS, SO LIFE WAS VERY MUCH CENTERED AROUND THE FRENCH KITCHEN THAT INSPIRED CELINE KIMBERLEY TO SPREAD SOME CULINARY JOIE DE VIVRE IN WINCHESTER, WHERE SHE LIVES WITH HER FAMILY. FOR US, IT WAS ABOUT FINDING A TOWN THAT HAD A REAL TOWN CENTER. WE WANT TO BE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP FOSTER COMMUNITY. NOUVELLE MAISON HAS A BAKERY, CAFE AND ALL KINDS OF FINE PROVISIONS. I LOVE IT, CAN I TASTE IT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE A FULL CHEESE AND CHARCUTERIE COUNTER, SO ABOUT 100 CHEESES THAT YOU CAN ORDER AND TASTE AS YOU’RE ORDERING. AND THEN WE HAVE WINE AND SPIRITS AS WELL. WE HAVE ABOUT 3000 DIFFERENT ITEMS IN THE STORE. I’VE HANDPICKED ABOUT PROBABLY TWO THIRDS OF THOSE. I WOULD POINT OUT OUR PROVENCE OLIVE OIL. WE ALSO SOURCE OUR PESTO FROM THIS TINY LITTLE ARTISAN IN THE SOUTHWEST OF FRANCE. OWNING A SMALL BUSINESS IS NOT EASY, BUT THESE WINCHESTER BUSINESSWOMEN LOVE WHAT THEY DO AND WHERE THEY DO IT. WHEN SOMEONE HAS A REALLY GREAT LUNCH OR WHEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY WERE LIKE, YOU HELPED ME HOST SUCH A FUN PARTY. LIKE, THOSE ARE SORT OF LIKE EMOTIONS THAT WE WANT TO SPARK IN, IN OUR CUSTOMERS. THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SO REWARDING. AT THE END. WINCHESTER HAS DEFINITELY BECOME A SHOPPING DESTINATION IN AN ERA WI