This is a wonderful story behind a brand new beautiful shop in Madison Connecticut.
It’s a tale of a girl from a popcorn farm in Lytton, Iowa (population 300 give or take) and a guy from Meriden, Connecticut. Kathy Gomarko and John Beauregard are from two different worlds but found each other thru a lot of tough times. You will be drawn to them because of their kindness and their desire to just have fun in life. Gomarko and Beauregard sounds like a law firm doesn’t it?

Kathy wants to bring back the idea of the old fashioned department store of which there are just a hand full left anywhere. That conversation lead us to where are all the Ben Franklin stores?, they’re all gone too.

Did you hear that little southern accent in Kathy’s voice, that’s because she lived for a time in Dallas, Texas. This former Delta Connecton flight attendant told me she thought of every flight as a party. I believe you’ll find that going on in her store too as soon as the dust settles from moving in.

The store’s mascot is Kelley, an Irish Setter who is ever so friendly. She loves spending time in her do bed napping between customers.

Johnny, as Kathy calls him, is a cancer survivor and is always giving back to those struggling thru it themselves. His specialty in the store is everything you can think of to put on a window. Blinds, curtains whatever, and he’s good at it too, one of Hunter Douglas’s most successful.

Back from the brink, following the cancer battle, these two are aiming at having a good time and that is reflected in what’s inside Elite. They want to be good neighbors in Madison and are asking everyone who walks thru the door, “what would you like us to carry?” When was the last time you heard that? For now there are beautiful fun lamps, chandeliers and shoes and flip-flops with pop-off toppers (yes, some have rhinestones) and items for babies and clothing for children.
American Girl Dolls and baubles, bangles and beads too.

So, what all of these means is that this pair, after closing up shop in Essex, because it had grown too small might just outgrow this place too. Remember the department stores that we grew up with had several floors including that all important mezzanine level.

No web site yet, so for now you’ll just have to pop in and see them.

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