This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

New Boutique, The Mesh, Is About Community Connections

The Mesh Has Everything from Consignment Clothing to Handmade Jewelry and More

The Mesh has come to Montville, and Kimberly Amoroso, the store owner, is holding a grand opening at the shop, on the Norwich-New London Turnpike, in the shopping plaza across from Citizen's Bank.

“Keep it local, convenient, affordable and classy” is Amoroso’s approach to business. The store stocks consignment clothing as well as handmade jewelry and accessories.

This is the first shop that Amoroso has run. A Connecticut native, she studied fashion in college. Her career path led her into social work, but she did not feel like it was the right fit for her.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"I worked in a really depressing environment,” Amoroso said of her last job.

The Mesh was set to have had its start last fall at a storefront in the Oakdale Plaza, but the September fire destroyed brought an end to that plan. Fortunately, the store was mostly undamaged by the fire and Amoroso was able to move the merchandise to the new location.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The interior of The Mesh is far larger than the storefront might suggest. It is divided into four different rooms with space for footwear, lingerie, accessories, a bridal/prom area and a junior section that displays fashion for teenaged girls. A section devoted to workout-ware is appropriate for a store that adjoins a Curves exercise studio.

Other items include bath soaps and organic health and beauty products.  Recently, Amoroso set up a tea service for her customers.

Most of the clothing inside the store is on consignment: people bring in clothes that no longer fit or that they are no longer interested in, Amoroso pays them when the clothes are sold. Amoroso calls this a “win-win” for customers who will presumably be able to get a return on old clothes, in addition to getting a chance to update their styles.

The clothing racks include basics like jeans ($10 for any pair) as well as brand names. Amoroso proudly snatched up a colorful Banana Republic skirt, which is also going for $10. A dedicated perfectionist, she asked that the clothing racks not be photographed because she hadn’t had time to get them coordinated the way she wanted.

Currently, three local vendors supply jewelry to The Mesh. The store’s necklaces, rings and earrings range from costume jewelry to more expensive pieces.

During the interview, one of the jewelry makers, Jackie Burch came in with some of her handmade crafts. Her work in the store includes necklaces made of shells, malachites and Shanghai jades, as well as pieces she had carved from bone and wood. “I don’t make the rings, but I make all the other stuff,” Burch explained.

Amoroso also keeps the store connected to the area by selling prints from local photographers and CD’s from musicians in the area. The musical connection is enhanced by the fact that she has a boyfriend that plays locally. Right now, one of her regional favorites is Sue Menhart, now playing in the “Red Hot Stove Tops,” who have an album on her shelves.

“I’m really big on the village mentality,” Amoroso said. “I remember that philosophy: ‘Keep it local.’”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?