Caroline Widman

Owner of Strand, The Boutique 339-217-2938, stranddux.com

Caroline Widman launched Strand, The Boutique, in Duxbury Marketplace in the spring of 2020. Though the timing was not ideal, due to the pandemic, she did not hesitate to pivot to an online business platform, making the most of e-commerce during an unprecedented period in the retail industry.

“It was a blessing in disguise,” says Widman. “Through Instagram and website sales, we were able to grow our community and gain exposure for the Strand brand. By the time we opened our brick-and-mortar boutique in September, we had a solid customer base that has grown exponentially both online and in-store ever since.”

Strand, which means “beach” in German, strives to bring fun, fresh and exclusive fashion from new and up-and-coming designers, as well as trusted and true brands, to customers for all of life’s occasions. “At Strand, it doesn’t matter how old or young you are,” says Widman. “We offer fresh styles that reflect an intersection of West Coast meets East Coast— looks that are timeless and transcend age.”

The boutique’s selection of apparel includes dresses and jumpsuits, activewear, sleepwear, beach/resort, denim, sweaters, outerwear, footwear, tops, bottoms, and more. Strand also offers accessories, including handbags, clutches, jewelry, hats, gloves and scarves. Widman’s carefully curated collection has proved very popular with her South Shore shoppers. Items often sell out, but new inventory arrives on a regular basis. Widman also offers online shopping, with hundreds of items available on the Strand website.

“I launched Strand with the goal of helping women find joy and feel beautiful inside and out,” she says. “I like to think of our Strand customers as a community of empowered women. It’s a community I would like to see grow.”