Uplifted Boutique to open in Dover Dec. 6

The new Uplifted Boutique store in Dover will celebrate their grand opening Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store hopes to become a destination site with its eclectic assortment of products, including clothing, jewelry and decorative pieces. The business is located at 209 S. Wooster Ave.

“It's a boutique, so we'll have clothing, generally women's clothes, we'll have gifts, home decorating, repurposed furniture, collectibles, and lots of one of a kind. We call them heirloom finds,” Nancy Hunter of Advocates for Success said.

The store appears small from the outside but is surprisingly spacious inside. The square footage is about 3,200.

It will have some pieces just to add interest, like a canoe hanging from the ceiling and a 1941 Harley Davidson motorcycle on display. The store’s long wooden counter is the original counter from the former Port Washington Hardware store.

Inventory will also include items handmade items from the Advocates for Success creative arts department including T-shirts, handmade cards and other items.

The store has been a dream of Hunter and Kim Chaney, owners of the Advocates for Success – a program that serves people with developmental disabilities, since they began in 2016. They wanted a place that would provide employment in the community.

“We wanted to have something that employed individuals with disabilities,” Hunter said. “We’ll do skill trainings here too. It’ll be part of our program, almost a second location with employment attached.”

The women knew they’d have the workforce to open the store, but everything didn’t fall into place immediately. They had planned to open in July 2025, but the location was a restaurant before a fire closed that business. The space needed totally redone.

“One of our biggest challenges was finding the product,” Hunter said. “I think we didn't recognize when we said yes to it, we needed to find the product.”

Chaney is excited about the possibilities for growth for the Advocates for Success clients.

“They will learn everything retail, customer service, POS system and credit card processing,” Chaney said. “They’ll also be doing things like inventory, tagging, displays, cleaning and there’s a store manager they’ll work with every day.”

Caren Jones has been hired as the store manager.

The store will instill a feeling of inclusion and confidence in those who work there. Four employees have already been hired.

“The confidence will come from the skills that they’ll learn and being able to work with customers,” Hunter said.

The staff is looking forward to turning over the reigns and encouraging their clients to learn more about the business.

“Our clients here will be taking control, working with the customers, not us,” Melanie Osborn of Advocates for Success said.

Customers will feel comfortable in the store on their oversized sofa near the coffee bar. Tea will be available too.

“The sofa literally is here to sit on. It's not here for sale,” Hunter said.

The staff and clients of Advocates for Success are looking forward to the open house.

“We’ll have probably a whole circle of individuals with disabilities too, that will be here to entertain and help work it,” Hunter said. “It’s really going to be a fun time.”

They have also invited local dignitaries to attend.

Guests can look forward to door prizes and refreshments will be served.

After Dec. 6, the store will be open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information follow the store on Facebook at Uplifted Boutique by Advocates for Success.