The Story of Maureen Goldberg Fashions Inc. By Maureen Goldberg

I was born in London in 1935 into a deeply loving Jewish family.

At the age of four, because of World War II, I was separated from my parents and all of my siblings.

At four years old, I made a promise to myself that someday I would be a rich woman. At that moment, being rich meant owning two sweaters of my very own.

Six years later, when I was ten years old, I was reunited with my parents and my siblings.

Life after the war was difficult. My parents worked tirelessly, and although we had very little, they gave me confidence, unconditional love, strength, and the belief that I could accomplish anything. My mother was strong, opinionated, and believed that women possessed far more strength and agency than they were often given credit for. My parents taught me never to accept mistreatment from anyone and to stand up for myself and my beliefs. My father, despite being ill for most of my life, was the most wonderful father in the world. The love my parents gave me was returned to them throughout their lives.

Because of the war, I received only five years of formal education. Everything I learned after that came through grit, determination, hard work, and an insatiable appetite for knowledge.

At the age of 21, I came to America to begin a new life with just $150 in my pocket and a thick Cockney accent that hardly anyone could understand. I lived in Philadelphia for a short time before moving to New York. After working for several garment firms, I eventually joined Sirotto Sport on Seventh Avenue. We shared showroom space with Marisa Christina, one of the hottest sweater lines in America.

I married my wonderful husband, Leonard, on July 18, 1962. He was a highly regarded illustrator.

In 1968, we bought property in Amagansett. Leonard designed our home, and we moved in in 1970. From then on, I took the month of July off every year and spent it in Amagansett.

During New York City’s garbage strike in 1971, Leonard had to return to the city for an illustration assignment. When he came back, he told me the city stunk terribly and suggested that I begin my own business in Amagansett.

I bought 20 sweaters for a total of $300.

That first weekend, I sold 17 sweaters and six specials.

I reinvested every dollar I earned and never had to invest another nickel of my own.

For the next ten years, I worked on Seventh Avenue during the week while building my business every weekend in Amagansett. I worked seven days a week. My by-appointment-only business was a novelty and grew entirely through word of mouth. Despite not accepting credit cards, it thrived. My average customer purchase was between $5,000 and $8,000, and within two to three years I had a weekend with sales totaling $45,000.

Eventually, my business grew to the point where I could no longer continue doing both, and I devoted myself to my business full time.

Ten years after opening my business in the basement of my home, I purchased the building that remains my store today, paying cash.

I have now been in business for more than 55 years and plan to continue. I have just turned 91, and I feel great. I still work seven days a week, just as I always have, and I still love what I do.

Looking back, I realize that everything I have accomplished was built on the confidence, unconditional love, strength, and belief in myself that my parents gave me, along with grit, determination, hard work, and an insatiable appetite for knowledge.

In the end, I kept the promise I made to myself at four years old.