Serafina Gaglio said her interest in sewing began at age 10 when she entered a trade school in Sicily and sewed her own dress at age 12.
Today, Gaglio owns and operates her own dress boutique in Williston Park, providing customers with customized dresses.
“I just love to do it,” she said.
Gaglio opened Serafina Design at 169 Hillside Ave. in March, something she said her daughter, Josephine Parente, had a large role in.
“It was my daughter’s idea to open up another store,” she said. “I’m not ready to retire yet.”
Gaglio opened a dress boutique in Port Washington under the same name in 1988 but closed 10 years ago to work from home for her customers.
“I love to work with people,” she said.
Since opening, Gaglio said, many of the customers she did business with recognized her new store.
“As soon as we opened we had a lot of customers,” Gaglio said.
Both Gaglio and Parente said they work with customers on an individual basis to provide a certain taste to their liking.
“We make sure we select a unique dress that compliments a person’s style,” Parente said.
Gaglio said her business is picking up traction with new customers as well.
“I get people telling me ‘we want you to stay’,” Gaglio said.
Parente and Gaglio said they chose Williston Park for their business due to the atmosphere.
“It’s a very nice neighborhood with nice people,” Gaglio said.
