Women's Fund SouthCoast features seven women

Apr 14, 2023

NEW BEDFORD – The Women's Fund SouthCoast will be hosting a wine tasting & food pairing stroll featuring seven women owned businesses on William Street.

From County all the way down to the Whaling Museum, William Street has seen businesses open and close throughout the years. Celia's Boutique, which celebrated 20 years last month, is one of its longest and successful tenants.

This year, several new businesses such as April Evans Beauty Lounge and Lat41 opened, as well as The Drawing Room opening in the former Arthur Moniz Gallery.

Now seven businesses are opening their doors for a two-hour event inviting the community to wine and munch while celebrating these hard-working women.

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"It's not like a pub crawl or something like that," said Christine Monska, Executive Director of the New Bedford Women's Fund. "There's only two hours and we're hoping that people go to as many as they can and learn about the businesses."

Originally from East Hampton in Western Massachusetts, Monska took over as the executive director last month. She went to Northampton at Smith College, then worked in the Berkshire's for several years as well as Pittsfield, North Adams, South County and Stockbridge.

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"I pretty much lived and worked all across the western part of the state," she said.

Monska hopes the event will bring awareness to the community that the Women's Fund has a new leader, some new board members and moving into a next chapter.

"It's an opportunity for us to get to know the new members and to get to know us a little bit better all while supporting our women owned businesses," she said.

"It's all about highlighting these women-owned businesses."

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On Wednesday, June 14 from 6 to 8 p.m., the 21+ event will feature live music in four places along William Street. Tickets are on sale on the Women's Fund website.

Guests will get information about the Women's Fund, the wine and food pairing as well as information regarding women owned businesses in the state of Massachusetts and the SouthCoast region.

Each business will also offer discounted items to ticketed guests and a raffle entry for a gift card for 2 people to attend an evening at Farm and Coast Market's monthly wine club, valued at $150.

The seven businesses featuring wine pairings are as followed:

Celia's Boutique (111 William Street): A fine upscale women's fashions boutique. There is clothing for all women from casual, contemporary and evening apparel.

April Evans Beauty Lounge (109 William Street): Not only a salon, the lounge has a full coffee bar and several products made by SouthCoast artists and entrepreneurs.

Alison Wells Fine Art Studio & Gallery (106 William Street): Specializes in Original Paintings, Prints and Greeting Cards by New Bedford based by Trinidadian Artist Alison Wells. Wells also offers several classes.

TL6 Gallery (100 William Street): A one-of-a-kind shop, specializing in handmade, unique and custom designs

Lat41 (28 William Street): A local neighborhood downtown hub. Lat41NB is filled with local handcrafted items, gifts, t-shirts and other New Bedford-themed gifts.

The Drawing Room (22 William Street): A carefully curated art & design shop featuring original work by New England artisans.

Women's Fund office (65 William)

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.