Glastonbury has a new women’s clothing boutique that puts the focus on women-created brands, upcycled designs and products that give back.
“It’s a curated unique collection of items that women will love,” says Debbie Shain, owner of Gotta Have It, located at 2235 Main St.
While the business opened its doors in July, Debbie has operated Gotta Have It since 2014. The business was an outgrowth of her 22-year career selling hair care products to beauty salons.
“I decided to reinvent myself,” she says.
She started dabbling in “mini boutiques” inside of hair salons and upscale spas with displays of women’s jewelry and other small accessories.
That led to selling products at festivals, vendor days inside businesses and pop-up events. When Covid hit many of those sales outlets dried up and that led Debbie to consider opening her own shop.
Her 800-square-foot boutique is located in the former Nana’s Infant & Children’s Boutique on Main Street.
Gotta Have It carries products produced by women-owned businesses and made in America. Those products include clothing, artisan jewelry, handbags, hats and more.
“You’ll find a nice collection of items from a lot of different people,” she says. “Because it’s a small space, clothes will change frequently. I will buy only six to eight items of one design so that if you pop in once a month the wall of clothing will look totally different than the last time you were here.”
The boutique will also carry a line of jeans from a company called Kut From the Kloth. Debbie says she specifically sought out the small designer label for its affordability. The jeans retail for less than $100 “because as much as I love jeans I’m not paying $200 for a pair,” she says.
I carry Hobo Handbags and Vintage Havana sneakers and clothing.”
Gotta Have It also will carry greeting cards because Debbie says she wanted to create a retail space where customers can buy a gift and not have to go elsewhere to find a card.
“I’d love to be known for being the kind of place where you can pop in and get gifts and a card, a one-stop shop experience.”
A Connecticut native who lives in Wethersfield, Debbie says she chose to open her store in Glastonbury because of the charm of the local community.
“I love Glastonbury, it still has the feel of a small town and it’s a community that cares about small, local businesses.”
Gotta Have It's hours are: Tues-Wed., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thurs., Noon to 7 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sat., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store is closed Sundays and Mondays.
