Many years back, after years of producing her own hand-painted clothing line, Lisa Dreitlein of Wading River shifted her attention to retail and opened Creations by Lisa, which soon became a staple in Greenport Village.
“I was out in Greenport one day having lunch with my mother and I thought, ‘Oh, this is a great little town. When the day comes, I’m going to stop the wholesale end of my business and maybe I’ll do retail’ — and that’s what happened,” she said. “I kind of ventured out and found a space and opened up out there. It was still all hand-painted but gradually that phased out and it was strictly a retail store.”
Now, after three decades, Creations By Lisa will close its doors before the end of this year. Ms. Dreitlein is working on pinpointing an exact closing date.
“My lease is [good] until the end of the year,” she said. “Probably Thanksgiving weekend will be the last weekend that we’re open, and I’ll have everything finished up and doors closed for good before the end of the year.”
When it first opened, Creations by Lisa was located in a pace across from the carousel but for most of its 30 years, the store has been in the former Mills building at the corner of Front and Main streets.
The store offers the latest trends and designs in fashion from various manufacturers and over time has expanded over time to carry merchandise for customers of all ages and budgets.
Ms. Dreitlein said she had been considering retirement for a few years, but felt like this was the right time to move on. The community’s response has been supportive but the experience is bittersweet for Ms. Dreitlein. Many people have said they are sad the store is closing.
“I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some of the best people,” she said. “I’ve pretty much made a lot of great friends and memories over the years and I’m very thankful for that, but for the most part they’re saddened to see me go, but also excited for me as well.”
However, Ms. Dreitlein isn’t dismissing the possibility of continuing with a website and an online store. She’s been collecting customer emails so she can let them know if and when she’s ready to take on that venture. “If it wasn’t for certain people, or the people that I’ve worked with, I wouldn’t have been able to do it all,” she said. “I’m grateful and thankful for the people that I have been able to work with over the years.”
Ms. Dreitlein plans to retire to Florida but will continue to visit family here on Long Island. She also plans to travel more widely and spend more time with family and friends.