“Don’t be afraid to try something in life.”

By her own admission, Anita Blais’ biggest role model and influence in her life was her mom, who instilled the belief in her daughter that she should never be fearful of new experiences. As Blais echoed her mother’s philosophy, she added her own: “If it didn’t work, it wasn’t a lost experience; I learned something from it.”

Blais’ openness to learning from novel experiences has taken her in many directions. Without any formal business education, Blais and her husband, Steven, launched a business 17 years ago in response to their mutual assessment of a need for a local retailer to stock both women’s lingerie and specialty adult items in an environment that made women feel comfortable.

“I wanted to do something that was fun,” indicated Blais, with a broad smile, but then went on to say her knowledge of the details of running a business developed from her husband teaching her, or at times, the two of them learning together. Given his unanticipated death five years ago, these lessons not only provided the know-how to manage their business then, but has enabled Blais to continue her business with her current managing partner, her son, John, whom she alone affectionately calls “J.” Her other son, Derek, recently moved his family to become Blais’ new neighbors. From the sparkle in her eyes as she relayed this information, spending time with family is clearly a priority.

When she isn’t working at the boutique or spending time with her former mother-in-law doing one of her favorite things, shopping for vintage clothes (“You should see my vintage hat collection!”), Blais can frequently be found knitting or crocheting, often making doll clothes for her granddaughters’ Barbie dolls. In fact, even in that activity she pursues her interest in vintage clothing by using doll clothes patterns from yesteryear.

Her passion for living belies the sorrow life has shown to her. Becoming a young widow unexpectedly one month after their 25th wedding anniversary certainly was a major derailment for Blais who readily acknowledged that this loss sent her on a quest — “Not to find myself, but to reconnect with myself” — which culminated in Sedona, Arizona, a place which is world-renowned as a spiritual mecca. Her spirituality reflects her adventuresome approach to life. In the same breath that she talks about her New Age accouterments (rocks and crystals) she orates on the goodness of Jesus and then also reveals that she is a Reiki master.

A diminutive, cheerful lady (Blais wears a child’s size two shoe and beams unceasingly), it isn’t readily apparent that this woman has coped with many significant life stressors — the unexpected and premature death of a spouse, the persevering life-threatening illness of a child, the total loss of property to fire — with an inner strength that could intimidate Hercules.

“It’s okay to feel scared once in a while…. My will power and refusal to believe it can’t be done — that’s what keeps me going.”