After moving with her family to Sag Harbor from New York City last August, Patricia Assui Reed was planning to take some time to settle in to her new home before following through on her business idea: to open a retail store that sells clothing, housewares, and art created by women.
Ms. Reed, who has worked in the fashion industry as a buyer and communication executive for more than 20 years, had been fine-tuning the concept, creating a wish list of brands to stock, and debating whether to launch the store online, when the building known as the Gingerbread House at 133 Main Street in Sag Harbor became available to rent in late March.
“Sometimes things happen and you have to jump right in,” she said.
By late May, Matriark was open for business.
“This is such the perfect setting,” said Ms. Reed of the sprawling house. “We have enough space that we can have something for everybody.”
The boutique features a mix of women’s fashions, from bohemian to elegant, to match the many facets of East End shoppers. “The people here are relaxing but they also have different lives — they go to the city, they have meetings, and people have benefits and events to go to,” she said. “I also want to make sure it’s inclusive of all ages.”
For Ms. Reed, Matriark is more than just another place to shop, it’s also an effort to enhance the status of women in the fashion industry.
She had been inspired to start the business, she said, after seeing how few women were in charge of fashion brands.
“It’s a little weird that women are not rising to the top,” she said. “This business supports female owners because I’d like more women to have more businesses. When women own their own business, they’re already at the top, they don’t have to climb any ladder, they call the shots.”
Ms. Reed has curated the store with goods from independent companies at which a woman is the majority owner. She has also incorporated a philanthropic element by designating 10 percent of proceeds for donation to organizations that support women’s issues. The proceeds this summer will go to the Retreat, the East Hampton nonprofit that provides shelter and support for victims of domestic abuse.
The store also serves as a community space for discussions (a recent talk focused on body acceptance) and cultural events.
Matriark will be open year round, and Ms. Reed is already excited to host more community gatherings around the Gingerbread House’s working fireplace. “We’ll bring people in to talk in the fall and winter, and we’ll have a little tea and conversation,” she said. “It’ll be great.”