EMC Business - The village of Westport welcomed its newest business Friday, Sept. 17 as Mayor Bill Thake cut the ribbon to officially open New Beginnings.

Owner Lori Reynen and husband Rene actually opened the unique gift shop at 9 Church St. on July 2. The building was previously home to a bulk food and health food store, and Lori said she has retained some of those product lines, but confined them to the rear of the building while devoting the rest of the space to a wide variety of gift items.

"We tried to get things that no one else was carrying," she said. New Beginnings offers items from around the world, including decorative metal work from Haiti, carved birds from Indonesia, pottery from Mexico, and glassware handcrafted in Romania. Unique shoes (with removable Velcro tops to allow the wearer to change their appearance) and handbags can also be found.

"We've tried to get products that can be geared for anyone," said Lori, adding that items are available in a variety of price ranges.

Finding suppliers around the world is easier than it might seem for the Reynens. The couple, previously based in Cornwall, operated their own business for 18 years manufacturing stethoscopes. After traveling extensively to market their products, the Reynens sold the business to a company in Chicago. Rene is a former real estate broker, and Lori is a registered nurse who retired from nursing five years ago.

The Reynens are also avid boaters, whose annual trips often brought them to Westport. "We fell in love with the town and the people," said Lori. "We always had it in the back of our minds to open some kind of business."

The Reynens were only half serious when they drove up to Westport in May to see if any properties were for sale, but after learning that the store at 9 Church St. was available, "It happened very quickly after that."

Lori said she received a lot of community support and expressions of good wishes that a business owner wouldn't get in a larger town. "It was a nice feeling," she said.