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A seamstress shop in downtown Norwich is a dream come true for a local business owner. Decoracio´nes Charito held its ribbon cutting Tuesday, sponsored by the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce (GNACC). The seamstress shop, located at 221 Main St. in downtown Norwich, opened in October. It specializes in clothing repairs and alterations. Owner Brigida Rosario Mesahuanca Palomino, nicknamed Charito, remembers her mother's work as a seamstress when she was a child in Peru. Her mother would make dresses for Mesahuanca and her sister, she said. While her mother cooked, Mesahuanca would try sewing, she said. “She’d say ‘Be careful because of the needle,'" Mesahuanca said. After training for three years following high school, Mesahuanca became a seamstress, working for 20 years. She moved to the U.S. to be closer to family. However, she had to take other work to make ends meet. Mesahuanca has lived in Norwich for eight years. While she worked in bars and restaurants to make a living, she kept sewing for friends. When Mesahuanca chanced upon the downtown storefront that’s now hers, she wanted to make it her own, she said. “My dream was to always have a place like this,” Mesahuanca said. Alterations, clothing repairs and home furnishings Mesahuanca wants to keep her prices affordable. Dress alterations are her favorite to work on, she said. Other services include making curtains and sofa covers, according to a poster on the store window. During the ribbon cutting, GNACC Executive Director Angela Adams said she already had Mesahuanca repair her pants. She also pointed out how uncommon seamstress shops are these days, and urged the community to support Mesahuanca’s business. Providing a valuable service “We don’t have a lot of seamstresses and experts in the area who can do this,” Adams said. Mesahuacana had sought help from the MOSAIC Coalition when she was launching her business, and the organization supported her, and connected her with GNACC for membership and her social media presence. Mariela Flores of MOSAIC has lived in the U.S. for 26 years. She notices how often people will throw away or donate old or damaged clothing instead of getting it fixed. When those clothes are nicer, it’s more expensive to replace it than get it stitched or altered, she said. “This is fantastic; I love it,” Flores said about Decoracio´nes Charito, “This is going to be so good for the community.” “We’re here to support Charito, because this is a great idea, “ she said. In the future, Decoraciones Charito will sell imported Peruvian clothing, while continuing the seamstress business and getting more customers, Mesahuanca said. “I am excited,” she said. Decoraciones Charito can be contacted at 860-574-2825 or charitomesahuanca63@gmail.com.
A seamstress shop in downtown Norwich is a dream come true for a local business owner.
Decoracio´nes Charito held its ribbon cutting Tuesday, sponsored by the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce (GNACC). The seamstress shop, located at 221 Main St. in downtown Norwich, opened in October. It specializes in clothing repairs and alterations.
Owner Brigida Rosario Mesahuanca Palomino, nicknamed Charito, remembers her mother's work as a seamstress when she was a child in Peru. Her mother would make dresses for Mesahuanca and her sister, she said.
While her mother cooked, Mesahuanca would try sewing, she said.
“She’d say ‘Be careful because of the needle,'" Mesahuanca said.
After training for three years following high school, Mesahuanca became a seamstress, working for 20 years. She moved to the U.S. to be closer to family. However, she had to take other work to make ends meet.
Mesahuanca has lived in Norwich for eight years. While she worked in bars and restaurants to make a living, she kept sewing for friends. When Mesahuanca chanced upon the downtown storefront that’s now hers, she wanted to make it her own, she said.
“My dream was to always have a place like this,” Mesahuanca said.
Mesahuanca wants to keep her prices affordable. Dress alterations are her favorite to work on, she said.
Other services include making curtains and sofa covers, according to a poster on the store window.
During the ribbon cutting, GNACC Executive Director Angela Adams said she already had Mesahuanca repair her pants. She also pointed out how uncommon seamstress shops are these days, and urged the community to support Mesahuanca’s business.
“We don’t have a lot of seamstresses and experts in the area who can do this,” Adams said.
Mesahuacana had sought help from the MOSAIC Coalition when she was launching her business, and the organization supported her, and connected her with GNACC for membership and her social media presence.
Mariela Flores of MOSAIC has lived in the U.S. for 26 years. She notices how often people will throw away or donate old or damaged clothing instead of getting it fixed. When those clothes are nicer, it’s more expensive to replace it than get it stitched or altered, she said.
“This is fantastic; I love it,” Flores said about Decoracio´nes Charito, “This is going to be so good for the community.”
“We’re here to support Charito, because this is a great idea, “ she said.
In the future, Decoraciones Charito will sell imported Peruvian clothing, while continuing the seamstress business and getting more customers, Mesahuanca said.
“I am excited,” she said.
Decoraciones Charito can be contacted at 860-574-2825 or charitomesahuanca63@gmail.com.