She began with the basics of towels, linens, cooking utensils, pots, pans, dishes, countertop appliances and the like. Quickly, she required a bigger location. She eventually, discontinued the consignment portion of her store, switching to only new items, and ‘The Island Closet’  was born.

Then, when one of the island's long standing gift shops was closed upon the owner's retirement, she took on the opportunity to continue providing gift cards, wrapping paper and custom crafted items to the community. This required even more retail space, and a fourth and final location was acquired.

This new location now carries anything and almost everything, from screws to toothpaste, pillows to vacuum cleaners, crayons to toasters and everything in between. If she doesn't have it, she'll get it for you, typically faster and cheaper than you can get it yourself.

Jeannie Conway is the heart and soul of ‘The Island Closet’. Jeannie was born and raised on Vinalhaven. She's been in the retail business since she was old enough to sit on the counter at her grandparent's grocery store on Main Street in Vinalhaven. She left the island after graduating high school to attend college. She got married, raised two children and returned to the island where she turned her family's grocery store into a consignment thrift store in the summer of 1990.

The humble beginnings of a backroom second-hand clothing store quickly outgrew its space and was relocated into the downtown retail area. When the hardware store in town closed, she ventured into offering new lines of goods in addition to use clothing to help fill the void left after the hardware store closed.

She began with the basics of towels, linens, cooking utensils, pots, pans, dishes, countertop appliances and

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