Clothing and gifts make local shop a welcome neighbor

Vernon n One of the first things Alexandra Giunta thought when she moved from Bergen County to Vernon was “We need a clothing store that I can get to without traveling far or sitting in traffic.” The idea had been brewing for a few years when she decided to act. “I’m the risk taker in the family,” Giunta says. She opened Daisies in June, in a 1,500-sq.-ft. airy shop on Highland Lakes Road. In its last life the building was a sporting goods store, known as a good place to get bait. But you’d never know it now. Giunta and her husband Fortunato have done a lot of interior work, still keeping it simple. He built two dressing rooms at the back. The display areas are open and inviting, showing the breadth of items Alexandra brings to her customers. She describes the clothing she chooses as “everyday clothing,” a mix of sportswear from jeans and sweaters to some dressier tops and bottoms and dresses, too. No evening gowns but she does carry clothing professional women could wear to work. Reflecting her wish to make clothes shopping available to her neighbors, Giunta offers women’s, plus-size and baby clothes. Most pieces are priced between $14.99 and $24.99. She does have a pair of leather pants for $59, but that is the exception. She’s not courting the trendy teen, but women who shop for need and fun can find something n stylish handbags, jewelry and gifts, too. Giunta says she researches popular styles and prices on the Internet and makes sure hers are in line. Her goal is to sell affordable, but quality merchandise. “People like to pay low prices for good clothing,” she says, but they are discerning. She knows area shoppers know when a bargain is too good to be true. A price too low often means inferior quality, she says. On a recent morning a local woman breezed into the shop, declaring that her son had told her about the store and she had to stop by. Thumbing through the racks, she found a skirt and top to try, and seemed pleased to know a clothing shop had opened in the area. Giunta says her first customers were all from the neighborhood. She’s situated near the bottom of Highland Lakes Road (Route 638), across from the 638 Deli. It’s the pathway a lot of local folks take to get to Route 515, 94 and 23. More recently, as word of mouth and advertising have taken effect, she’s seeing more customers from a bit farther out, like Warwick. She’s hoping as the word spreads she’ll be busier still. As the parent of two small children, she knows that time is precious for most people in the area, whether it’s work and family or a host of activities that keep them on the move. That’s why Giunta started her shop n so local people could find what they need right in their neighborhood. I you’re wondering about the significance of the name: Daisies, there’s a simple answer. It sounds good, doesn’t it? That’s what Fortunate Giunta had in mind when he suggested it to his wife. “He thought it was an easy name to remember. And he was right on the spot,” says Alexandra.