Open for the Season: Erika's Place Moves to New Storefront

Joanna Mincarelli's Southampton Village clothing, accessories, home decor and vintage furniture store Erika's Place II has moved into new digs on Jobs Lane, a few doors down from its original location.

The shop recently took over the space at 67A Jobs Lane, after first coming to Southampton in May 2012 in a courtyard storefront that was set back from the sidewalk. The new location, which opened last month, is right on the sidewalk and very visible, across the street from the Driver's Seat Restaurant.

Mincarelli opened the original Erika's Place, named for her daughter, a decade ago in Dunedin, Fla. During an interview last year, Mincarelli said Southampton is like a larger version of Dunedin — it's by the water, a walking community, and there are lots of mom and pop shops, rather than Fifth Avenue stores.

Mincarelli is originally from Fresh Meadows, Queens, and owned a home for a time in Westhampton. She started refurbishing furniture and creating custom shell decor pieces at age 15. She sold items here and there over the years but hadn't entertained the thought of doing it full time until she was laid off from her job working in the title insurance business, she told Dunedin Patch in 2011. “It was really difficult to interview for jobs when your leg is in a cast,” said Mincarelli, who had broken her ankle in several places. “So my mother encouraged me to open a boutique.”

Her mother, children's clothing designer Rose Chylinski, now makes baby clothes for Erika's Place.

Erika's Place II is open for the season seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.