Beth Bogulski was vacationing on the Italian Riviera when she had her Eureka moment. A shoe display in front of a small shop lured her inside where a variety of styles and colors awaited. A pair of strappy green sandals covered in studs called her name. It was a moment Carrie Bradshaw would have appreciated.
“That’s it!” Bogulski exclaimed. “I’m opening a women’s shoe store in Woodstock.” She left the store with a vision—and a verdant new pair of sandals.
Bogulski had been brainstorming for a while. After years of experience in merchandise buying, product development, and brand management—a career that crossed states and spanned big names like Linens n’ Things, Macy’s, and Kohl’s—she was ready to strike out on her own.
Having moved to Woodstock seven years ago, Bogulski had fallen in love with the community and knew she wanted to plant her business firmly in the Hudson Valley. She just couldn’t decide exactly what to sell. “I was trying to figure out what we needed in Woodstock,” she says. And, after her aha! moment in Italy, problem solved.
The next challenge was finding a space. Bogulski hunted real estate listings for about two years, stretching her search to neighboring towns, until a for rent sign appeared at 65 Tinker Street, right in the heart of Woodstock. “I knew it was now or never,” she recalls.
Bogulski took the plunge, signed a lease on April 1 and opened Millie + Madge, named in honor of her two grandmothers, on Memorial Day weekend. “It’s been a whirlwind,” she says.
Because the building had good bones, no major renovation was needed, only a few coats of paint and a redesign with Missy Peltz from MAP CoLab studio. “Beth had a wonderful vision for Millie + Madge,” Peltz says. “There were endless storytelling opportunities that started with both of her grandmothers and ended with her curation. It’s the perfect balance between history and modernity.”
Bogulski’s hope is for shoppers to have a comfortable experience, while pursuing the thoughtfully curated shoes and accessories inside. “I don’t want you to feel like it’s just a store,” she says. “I want you to feel like you’re in a living room.”
Her focus is on sustainable, fashionable footwear—and featuring as many women-designed or women-owned brands as possible. Each line has a story, one she looks forward to sharing with shoppers. “I love the people I’m working with, all the creativity,” she says.
For instance, Bogulski carries Nomasei and beek, both brands founded by women who design luxury, handmade leather shoes. For sneakers, Bogulski settled on Oncept, a brand co-owned by a woman, which uses biodegradable and recyclable materials. Other handmade shoes come from Daniella Shevel, Fred Salvador, and Lanapo. Plans are in the works to add a vegan line in time for the holidays.
Millie + Madge also offers hand-crocheted raffia hats and bags from Ibeliv, small-batch totes by Per Lei and utilitarian bags by Immodest Cotton, as well as accessories by Hamimi, Laura Elizabeth, and Thatch Jewelry. Bogulski is continuing to expand the assortment.
In the meantime, shoppers have been making their way inside. “I’ve had a great reception, great support from locals,” Bogulski says. “I already have regulars, and I’m thrilled. I’m just so appreciative.”
Morgan Hoffman, owner of the boutique GIRLBOY in Kingston, has become a regular. “I have three of her sandals, and I live in them,” she says. “The sandals are really flattering, but they’re also comfortable.” The shoes do not require being broken in before wearing, Hoffman added, which is often the case with leather soles. “They feel like butter the moment you put them on your feet,” she says.
Bonnie Hassan makes a point to stop at Millie + Madge whenever heading to her Woodstock home. She remembers walking in the store for the first time, “It was very easy to fall in love with the store.”
Hassan described items carried on the shelves as upscale and contemporary. “It’s stuff I’ve never seen before,” she says. “It’s really high quality. I’m not the only one shopping there who keeps coming back again. Beth just went beyond filling the niche that was there.”
Carrying items that instantly become staples is Bogulski’s mission. “Try them on, they’re beautiful and comfortable,” she says. “I want them to be your favorite item, that you love to wear and that completes your outfit.”
Bogulski finally has the shop of her entrepreneurial dreams, one that carries the same brands she keeps in her closet at home. And more and more customers are letting her know that her vision for a women’s Woodstock shoe haven was right on the target. “The positive reception has been so affirming,” she says. “It’s even better than what I could have hoped for.”
