By Katie McFadden
“It started as a conversation on the beach at sunset. Like, wouldn’t it be great if we had a place to shop?” Athena Reilly and Trish Dever shared. Within a few years, the cousins turned that fun conversation about opening a shop in their hometown of Breezy Point into a dream come true. Dunes Boutique is now fulfilling that dream for Reilly and Dever — and filling a need for locals looking for a place to shop.
Need a nice top for the night? A dress to go out in? Looking for that classic Breezy Point tee? Maybe something new for your kid to wear for a special occasion? Don’t forget a hostess gift, something a little different than that regular bottle of wine. And if you forgot that birthday gift for grandma or someone’s newborn, don’t panic. Dunes Boutique, located at 202-28 Rockaway Point Blvd., is here to save you a toll and a trip to the mall. Since opening day on July 11, Breezy Point’s newest shop has been drawing in customers of all ages looking to pick up some new apparel, housewares, toys and even local art.
Earlier this year, those recurring sunset discussions on the beach became more real when the owner of the longtime gift shop space at the stores in Breezy Point decided it was time to sell. Reilly, who has a background in retail, and Dever, who has experience on the financial and business side of things working in corporate, jumped at the opportunity to take on The Sand Castle and transform it. That meant a full renovation once they got started in late April. With the help of Athena’s husband, Cory Reilly, they completely gutted the space from floor to ceiling to build out the new boutique. They even added necessities like air conditioning and a fitting room to make shopping more comfortable for customers. “The whole store is brand new,” Reilly said.
While the surroundings are new, the women wanted to bring some familiarity to the longtime clothing and gift shop space, most recently known as The Sand Castle, after Henley’s Hanger, while making it even better. Customers will still find classic Breezy Point branded items. “We still have the classics like the kids’ Breezy Point hoodies that have been around for decades,” Reilly said. “I think Breezy branded apparel has always been a staple of that store,” Dever added. “We kept the good stuff that has always worked there.” And they have some new Breezy items like t-shirts they made just for Mardi Gras and now a variety of trucker hats, made by local resident Katie Hughes. Kids can still get little trending toys like Squishies, and Reilly’s daughters, Keira and Hailey, who assist behind the counter or on the floor, can help you pick the perfect one. Other gifts can also still be found, which now includes art from local residents like Janet Dever’s watercolor prints and Ron Ellard’s photography.
But one of the main highlights at Dunes Boutique is the ever-changing apparel offerings from custom pieces to carefully selected items from showrooms from New York to Los Angeles. “We wanted a local shop that had a little something, like, truly had a little something for everyone,” Reilly said. “That was our priority.” And she means truly. From infant to children’s wear to adult options for women and even some offerings for men, across a range of ages and sizes, Dunes is ready to serve a variety of customers. “There’s a 15-year difference between Athena and me and she does a great job at buying for a younger customer, while I have a sense of what customers in my age group are looking for, so between the two of us, we have different perspectives in terms of what we think people are going to be interested in and we cover a nice broad demographic,” Dever said.
And while they offer items for a variety of people, most of the items are exclusive, and will go quick. “We’re buying in limited size runs, so I only get like two of each size and then it’s gone because you don’t want to be out to dinner and somebody’s got your outfit on,” Reilly said, thinking of the small-town aspect of the peninsula. But that also means Dunes is constantly keeping things fresh, so fresh that it’s like walking into a new store every week. “We have new stuff all the time,” Reilly said. “I think customers really appreciate the fact that every time they come in, they see something they didn’t see the last time,” Dever said. “So we’re trying to constantly have new things in the shop so people feel like it’s worth popping in again, even if they were just there a week ago.”
More than a month into business, Reilly and Dever say Breezy Point is embracing Dunes. “The first six weeks have been beyond our expectations. I think people can tell that we put a lot of care into making it a beautiful place. I think people walk in, it smells good. It’s clean, and I think people see we’ve put a lot into the aesthetic of the place,” Dever said. “It’s just a nice environment.” Reilly added, “Everyone has been so warm, so welcoming and so gracious. So many people have said, ‘We needed this.’ We just want people to feel like they’re home. I want them to feel welcome to come and hang out. We love meeting everyone and hearing your stories.”
And they hope to meet even more customers throughout the year. Dever said, “This is a family business, it’s a women-owned business, we’re very focused on our customer, and we both love this community and are happy to contribute to it.”
And like the dunes that protect the coastal community from which the shop takes its name, Reilly and Dever hope Dunes Boutique will be around for the long haul. “I hope that this lasts for a very long time,” Reilly said. “It’s always going to be a coastal boutique where people feel welcome and warm and want to shop.”
Dunes Boutique is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, except Sunday, when they close at 5 p.m. Hours may change in the off-season. The store can be reached at 718-945-4922. For updates, follow @dunesboutique on Instagram.
