After 3 months of work, home and decor boutique ready to go in downtown Brunswick
Holy Chic Maison has opened its doors on Maine Street in Brunswick, marking the realization of a three‑decade‑long dream for Karen and Perry Schwarz. The European‑style home and gift boutique officially welcomed customers on Thursday, with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony set for Friday, Oct. 9.
The couple, married for 31 years, first imagined owning a shop together early in their relationship. Over the years they chased that idea through various creative projects—painting, furniture making, wreath crafting and stints as vendors in an antique and craft mall. Karen turned her passion for décor into a business in 2008 after a job loss, while Perry built a career in construction management.
When they finally decided to turn the vision into a storefront, the Schwarzes devoted evenings and weekends to the renovation. After Perry’s full‑time workday, he joined Karen at the vacant space, and together they demolished walls, repaired surfaces, painted, replaced carpet, refinished furniture and reimagined the layout. Perry’s construction background allowed them to tackle much of the work themselves, including a striking French‑inspired feature wall that now anchors the shop. Karen spent several days stripping and restoring an old wooden door, and the pair sourced an antique counter from a shop in northern Maine to give the boutique a distinctive touch.
“We have dreamed of having a shop like this for as long as we’ve been together,” Karen Schwarz said. “We always knew we would find a way. It may have taken 30 years, but here we are. We couldn’t be more grateful to finally open our doors and share something we’ve poured so much of ourselves into.”
Reflecting on the timeline, she added, “We initially thought we could have it done in a month. But once we got into it, we realized we had one chance to do this. We decided to go big. Every detail mattered to us.”
Holy Chic Maison now offers a curated selection of home accessories and gifts, reflecting the couple’s European aesthetic and the countless hours they invested in bringing the space to life. The grand opening on Oct. 9 will invite the community to celebrate the shop’s debut and the perseverance behind it.
