By Danielle Ray, Senior Reporter
Notown Goods owner Leanne Boudreau said the response to her Main St. shop has been “incredible” since she opened in late January.
“We have had such wonderful support and enthusiasm from the community,” she said.
The shop carries the work of more than 150 professional artists, artisans, and apothecaries such as pottery, textiles, woodworking, jewelry, blown glass, stained glass, paintings, bath and body ITEMS, candles, stationery, and specialty food. All items are made in the United States with a focus on the work of New England craftspeople.
Boudreau said some of the more popular, best-selling items are blown glass pieces, decorative gourds, and pillows.
“What I like the best about owning my own business is that I can make changes quickly and easily when necessary, which has been especially important during the pandemic,” she said. “When planning for the future, I can move at my own pace and on my own timeline and don’t have to be accountable to anyone but my customers.”
Boudreau moved her business from a spot in Westminster that was about one third the size of the new place.
“We had been open a little less than two years in Westminster and had really outgrown the space,” she said. “We looked at a lot of different properties but decided on Sterling because it has that wonderful small-town New England charm and a vibrant downtown area.”
The shop is named after Notown, a historic settlement in Leominster State Forest.
“When we opened the shop we were looking for a name that had a local inspiration but was a little unique,” Boudreau said.
Like so many other business owners, Boudreau said she has been affected by the pandemic, which “complicated” the move among other things.
“Everything took much longer than normal,” she said. “We did a lot of advance planning for the move before the holiday season so that everything would come together in January. We’re still working on some projects but overall, the move ended up being more work than expected but a little bit easier in terms of complications.”
When the pandemic hit, business came to a grinding halt for Boudreau when she was forced to close Notown mid-March last year. She also has her own textile business, Loomination, which has its own space in the back of her shop, and as such knows her way around a loom and sewing machine. She began sewing masks and sold over 7,000 of them on Etsy in April and May of 2020 – 200 alone the first day she listed them.
“That’s how I stayed in business,” she said.
Boudreau said she is not sewing masks anymore and is grateful she was able to open Notown back up, make the move to Sterling, and showcase her business once again.
“We really appreciate the support of the North Central Massachusetts area community throughout the time we’ve been in business and especially during the pandemic,” she said. “Without our amazing customers we never would have made it through this past year.”
As for her goals and plans for the future of Notown, Boudreau said she plans to continue offering a plethora of original and distinctive items to customers, including her own textiles.
“We hope that we can become a permanent fixture in downtown Sterling and be the go-to place in the area for unique home decor and gifts,” she said.
Notown Goods is located at 11 Main St., Sterling, and hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 978-352-0800, visit www.notowngoods.com, and follow Notown Goods on Facebook and Instagram.
CREDIT: Danielle Ray