When Roberta Munden and Jane Roberts announced they were opening clothing store Boho Couture in St George, some people were sceptical.

“We really loved the vibe in the historic town, but so many people said nobody shops there and the tourists only buy souvenirs,” Ms Munden said.

Worried that the naysayers were right, she and business partner Jane Roberts signed only a one-year lease with the Corporation of St George.

A month and a week after opening in the town square, they went back to the corporation and extended the lease to two years. Their products — flowy Italian linen shirts, pants and dresses — were flying off the shelves.

“We did not want to lose our space,” Ms Munden said.

There was interest in the store even before they officially opened in May.

“People said they could not find quality Italian linens in Bermuda,” Ms Munden said. “When we set up on the Monday, people were looking in the window. On the second day, people were asking to come in and take a look. We did not have our cash machine yet, and were making sales.”

Ms Roberts thought more retailers would set up in St George if only the owners of empty commercial spaces were easier to contact.

“There is often no contact number on the door of these empty places,” she said.

So far, there has been equal interest in Boho Couture from locals and visitors.

“We bring in new stock every three weeks,” Ms Munden said. “Some of our locals pop in regularly to see what we have, or they call to ask whether we have anything new.”

Everything in the store is under $100, except for their Greek collection and a few accessories. Clothing is offered in a range of sizes.

“There are so many plus-size ladies who like to be fashionable,” Ms Munden said. “Italian linen is also much more breathable during the summer.”

She hopes her store will be part of a continuing effort to revitalise the Olde Towne.

“The Chamber of Commerce started the Bermuda Breeze Market in the square a few weeks ago,” she said. “That is really attracting people. Every time the cruise ships arrive, they have live entertainment, a vendor market. The town crier meets the cruise ship passengers at the ferry and brings them into St George to give them an experience. It is drawing locals as well, which is really nice.”

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Ms Munden started in retail in 1985 working for firms such as Tommy Hilfiger and Polo Ralph Lauren on the corporate side. During Covid-19, she was doing online pop-up sales, selling similar clothes to that sold in Boho Couture.

She first started visiting Bermuda in 1987 and fell in love with the island.

“When I first came here, there was Trimingham’s and Cooper’s, Smith’s,” she said. “I used to admire the Bermuda women with all their beautiful clothes. There was so much shopping available.”

When she moved to Bermuda to live in November 2022, she was shocked to find the local retail landscape very changed. The historical names in retail were gone.

“My mother and sister came to see me and lost their luggage for several days,” she said. “My mother is a plus-size woman who likes to be very fashionable, but is price-conscious. We drove around the island trying to find clothing she could wear until her suitcases arrived, but did not find many options for her. That is one of the reasons Boho Couture offers a range of sizes.”

Some people complain about the “long” drive to St George, but Ms Munden said that in Toronto she could spend much more time in traffic trying to go anywhere.

“To get to St George, I just have a nice drive down North Shore,” she said. “It is worth it. Many of our local customers come with their girlfriends, have lunch and make a day out of it.”