Party With Her on April Fool's Day

Elaine Felag was no fool when she opened Feminine Fancies, her Village Center store, in 1982 on April 1.

Felag will celebrate her 30th year in business with “a big April 1 party,” she said. “We’ll have food and giveaways from 11 am to 5 pm.”

Felag's store is quite a bit different and about twice as large as it was three decades ago. A fire 13 years ago destroyed her store and the businesses around her; it forced her to launch again.

“We were closed for about five months,” she said. “We started over.”

The original store specialized in lingerie and maternity wear. Now it stocks an array of women’s wear, including dresses, shoes, separates, accessories, and jewelry.

“We also have prom gowns,” said Felag.

Felag took over the space next to her store after the blaze. That space doubled her size.

Feminine Fancies caters now to women of all ages, she said, ranging in sizes from 0 to 16.

“Young teens, mom, grandmas, we can serve them all now,” she said. “Trust me, I want people to look good. Customers are our stars.”

Felag was a social worker for a few years after graduating from Providence College.

“But I always wanted to do this,” said Felag, who worked in the lingerie department at the former Cherry & Webb store while at Barrington High School.

Felag grew up on Maple Avenue. She is married to Walter Felag, a state senator who has represented Warren and parts of Bristol and Portsmouth for many years. They have two sons, Jake and Zeke.

“It doesn’t feel like 30 years,” she said. “But I guess we’ve become a fixture in Barrington.”

Being a fixture seems to run in her family, the Calitris, who have operated Barrington Appliance and Electric for more than 65 years.

“I’m still having fun,” she said, “and I like when I reach milestones.”

Felag will celebrate one of those milestones – 30 years in business -- on April 1.