Deborah Gilbert Smith Downsizing

Deborah Gilbert Smith opened the store that bears her name nearly 20 years ago. The high-end boutique is a staple on the downtown Millburn retail scene.

In a sign of the times, though, Smith is downsizing to a smaller location just up the street. The store is set to move to the corner of Main Street and Millburn Avenue in early June.

“We know this community well and how to serve this community,” the life-long Maplewood resident said. “The move will help us continue to do that while giving us an updated look.”

Workers have been busy finishing the new store and installed the new signs on the building in the last week. Sale signs have popped up at the old location, drawing in people looking for a bargain.

Updating the store's look is nothing new to Smith. Her original store, opened in 1991, was a 1,300-square-foot space on Essex Street. Within months, the store expanded to 2,500 square feet before Smith moved to her current location 13 years ago.  

The 4,500-square-foot retail space offers a line-up of designers unmatched by other downtown retailers. Her list of designers ranges from Stella McCartney and Balenciaga to veritable unknowns. Smith said she is proud to offer fashion at many price points. The new location will have all the high fashion she's always carried, she said.

“When we heard the corner store was available, we decided it was the right move," she said. "We will be right at the crossroads of town. It will be smaller but more than adequate.”

When the Mall at Short Hills opened, Smith was offered the opportunity to be a cornerstone store there. But she stayed downtown while many of her top competitors and department stores jumped ship.

“It was a very conscious decision to stay downtown,” Smith said. “We very much believe in the downtown and see ourselves as a downtown store, a free-standing retailer.”