A first-of-its-kind boutique on the North Fork is opening this weekend in Mattituck with a singular mission: to sell upscale, gently used and brand-new clothing, accessories, home decor, kitchenware and furniture, and donate all proceeds to the North Fork Animal Welfare League (NFAWL).

The energetic woman behind Betty’s Boutique is Marja Ames, who, along with her husband, David, has turned a modest fundraising venture at their Mattituck home into an operation that has raised $220,000 for the animal welfare organization since 2023.

Now, with a newly purchased 6,000-square-foot building at 7785 Main Road, Ames hopes to turn her passion for repurposing other people’s treasures into an even bigger source of support for homeless cats and dogs.

The boutique — which opens this Saturday, Nov. 14 — is named for Betty, the couple’s beloved cat, who died 15 years ago.

Betty was “like a daughter to us because we don’t have children,” Ames said.

“I looked at the space in my house and through tears, I said I’m naming the boutique in honor of you, little girl.”

The venture began in January 2023, when Ames and her husband, feeling “bored” after the COVID-19 pandemic, transformed the basement and garage of their home at 15900 Main Road into a sprawling yard sale.

What began as a weekend undertaking soon attracted a steady stream of shoppers and donations. Ames’ mother, Hilkka, then in her 90s, found meaningful work helping with the sales.

“This little Finnish woman, she loved being the center of everything,” Ames recalled.

Her mother died in February, but the fundraising effort continued to grow, eventually outgrowing the couple’s home.

Finding a permanent location for Betty’s Boutique took an unexpected turn after her mother’s death.

“I feel my mom was with me,” Ames said.

She was in her mother’s bedroom when she broke a tooth while eating a piece of candy. A visit to the dentist brought her to a building next door that had just gone up for sale.

“I saw the sign on this building; it had only gone up for sale a few days before.”

She and David quickly purchased the property, formerly home to Endless Golf, and renovations began the day after the closing in mid-September.

The building, with its many skylights, loft office space, basement and multiple rooms, offered something Ames had long needed: room to grow.

On a recent visit, the loud blast of a saw slicing through gray laminate flooring echoed through the building as two construction workers worked to finish rooms near the entrance. Fresh coats of paint were transforming the interior, while new flooring replaced the green artificial turf left behind by the previous business.

Meanwhile, back at the Ames home, crowded bags and boxes of donated designer handbags, scarves, pants and other merchandise awaited sorting, washing, ironing and the short trip west to the new boutique.

What Ames described as “a mess” at home was steadily being transformed into racks of bargains ready for sale.

Inside the new store’s preparation area, Ames pointed out two boxes of barely used pink satin ballet shoes and black socks, possibly worn by members of a bridal party or at a spa. Nearby sat a box of white paper umbrellas, apparently donated after a wedding.

Volunteer Dixie Gunter, who moved to Mattituck from Tennessee 20 years ago, playfully twirled one of the umbrellas.

“We hope someone will buy the whole lot!” she said in a slight Southern accent.

In another corner, shelves held neatly stacked glassware nestled in open boxes cushioned with shredded paper. Ames picked up one of her favorite finds, a box of sparkling Luminarc burgundy champagne glasses.

“These are amazing and beautiful,” she said.

Gunter spent the day sorting, washing and ironing donated clothing. Pants, jeans and scarves were carefully prepared for sale, while shoes were cleaned inside and their soles scrubbed.

“I came from living on a farm. Now it’s all about the animals,” Gunter said. “We want to make everything look brand new.”

Donations have come from residents of both forks, clothing and furniture stores, and North Fork Apothecary on Main Road in Southold, which Ames described as a major contributor.

The apothecary will have its own room near the boutique’s entrance, featuring men’s clothing, including designer jeans originally priced at $250 that will sell for $45 to $55.

“Our prices are incredible … lower than the Salvation Army! We want our items to be affordable, so we can sell more to bring in more money for the animals,” Ames said.

Gunter held up a Perry Ellis shirt priced at just $6.

Ames plans to reach out to more retailers across the North Fork for donations.

“Our clothing is new with the tags on or it’s gently used,” she said.

Merchandise that doesn’t sell will be donated to CAST in Southold.

(Deborah Wetzel photos)

Still waiting to be moved from Ames’ home are approximately 250 handbags, 130 of them donated by a single woman — an investment banker who loved cats and traveled the world. Her collection includes an array of colors and styles.

There is also an abundance of gold, silver and costume jewelry, along with pots, pans, kitchen utensils and flatware.

“I’m figuring out all the jewelry,” Ames said. “Some people dropped off a single gold earring. Those I bring to a jeweler who makes out a check written to the shelter.”

A dining room table will be set as though guests are expected, showcasing some of the distinctive place settings available for purchase.

Other merchandise carries its own history. Still in the garage at Ames’ home are dinner plates used in U.S.-occupied Germany in 1946, along with a set of plates from the era of the American occupation of Japan after World War II.

At Betty’s Boutique, such pieces will find another chapter in their long lives.

Ames believes younger shoppers, in particular, will appreciate the opportunity to repurpose vintage merchandise, much of it dating to the 1970s and ’80s.

“That stuff was built to last,” she said.

“This keeps me busy and out of trouble. There are days where I’m like, Oh God, we need more hangers! It’ll be interesting to see how this will grow.”

Gunter expects many of the loyal customers who frequented the yard sales at Ames’ home to follow her to the new location.

“Some people who paid $46 for something would give us $50 and not want the change because they know the money goes directly to the shelter,” she said.

For the North Fork Animal Welfare League, the boutique has already become an important source of funding.

“Betty’s Boutique has been a huge blessing to the league! It has helped us to get more animals rescued, fed and cared for. The proceeds also help with spay and neuter programs,” said Gabby Stroup, the league’s director of operations.

“The new building will make Betty’s Boutique even bigger and better. I am so excited to see what comes next!”

But Ames’ ambitions extend beyond selling donated merchandise.

She hopes eventually to establish a spay-and-neuter clinic in the building one day a week, and ultimately to have an on-site veterinarian who could provide continuity of care for the shelter’s animals.

Ames said veterinary requirements and the costs of providing care place significant financial pressure on organizations like NFAWL. Having a veterinarian on-site, she believes, could ease some of that burden while allowing animals to see the same doctor regularly.

“I don’t have children and my husband and I want to leave a mark on this planet,” she said.

She also envisions Betty’s Boutique becoming a gathering place for people passionate about animal welfare — something of a community think tank where fundraisers and social events could bring supporters together.

“We might have a Mahjong night, a book club night and all the racks of clothing will be moved around,” she said.

One room will be devoted to cold-weather clothing, including winter coats, sweaters, gloves and hats for men and women.

The plan is to open Thursdays through Saturdays each week, offering shoppers a chance to find a bargain while supporting animals in need.

For Ames, the boutique represents the culmination of a deeply personal undertaking that began with a beloved cat, grew through weekend yard sales and now has a permanent home.

“It’s a dream. What girl doesn’t want a boutique?!” she said. “We want people to have a good time shopping to save more animals and be more mindful.”