Freeport boutique Gingham, which opened on Bow Street in May, hosts a summer sale on July 23. Courtesy of Igor Gorn
Though Freeport boasts many popular clothing chains, one independent boutique is set to offer shoppers a colorful, curated shopping experience near the heart of downtown.
Gingham, at 25 Bow St. in Freeport, opened its doors in May, bringing in brightly colored dresses, luxury denim and more to the already extensive shopping options in the coastal town. The self-described “no-pressure” boutique said it aims to provide a pleasant experience for women shopping in the area.
Though new to Freeport, Gingham has long been apart of the Midcoast community — many Yarmouth shoppers may remember a boutique of the same name located on Main Street. This boutique, then owned by Heather Veitch, launched in 2016 and provided similar selections to the new location in Freeport.
When Veitch announced in November 2023 that she was going to close the shop, however, Freeport resident and current Gingham owner Caitlin Reiche saw the opportunity to fulfill a longtime dream to own a shop.
The boutique made its move to Freeport under new owner Caitlin Reiche after spending several years on Main Street in Yarmouth. Courtesy of Gingham
By mid-January, the same month the boutique was set to close, the transition to Freeport was announced, where Veitch described the ownership change as “beyond exciting” and said that Reiche was a “fantastic human being” on social media.
“I take a lot of inspiration from Heather, who owned the store before,” Reiche said, adding that the previous owner mentored her in the process of reopening the shop in Freeport.
Reiche previously had a long-term career in health technology but had wanted to work on the boutique full time. Near the beginning of the summer, she finally left her health care job to pursue the boutique full time.
The shop is now set up in a standalone building set back from Bow Street, leading customers in with a wooden boardwalk from the sidewalk. The building, which was built in 1870 according to property records, offers a quaint, beachside cottage feel — an appropriate setting within a Maine coastal town.
Fit with free Wi-Fi, a kid’s corner and attentive associates, the boutique fills a gap in Freeport’s largely preppy and outdoorsy shopping scene by providing a wide array of clothing styles with what Reiche said is a broader range of prices compared to the previous shop. She added some lounge wear into the mix and, of course, offers plenty of Maine-made accessories as well.
Inside the shop, over 30 different clothing brands line the walls, mixing diverse styles under one roof. Shoppers can grab pieces from high-quality denim brand Citizens of Humanity or they can shop the fun colors and silhouettes of FRNCH (pronounced “French”), a contemporary brand full of statement pieces that describes itself as “Parisian chic.” The boutique, which Reiche described as a “one-stop shop,” is designed to offer everything — hats, sunglasses or maybe your next dinner outfit.
“I see [the shop] as an opportunity to invest in my local community — build community and bring color,” Reiche said.
Gingham is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Those interested in learning more about the boutique can visit ginghamshop.com.
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