My sister and I opened bella funk in littleton, nh in november of 2006. it was a big year for us at ages 23 and 24. we were best friends growing up and the idea of owning a boutique together was the ultimate dream. we knew that our little town was a special place; a place where we wanted to stay and have babies and raise our families. our parents, both entrepreneurs, instilled in us the importance of taking risks and we are grateful for that today. i remember very clearly our first "big" purchase for the shop (keep in mind there was no actual "shop", just an idea in our heads): two plastic, very tall, free-standing (however wobbly), female mannequins. we were ecstatic upon their arrival and kept them in the garage praying that one day they would have a home in a beautiful store window somewhere. we pounced on the first shop space that opened up on littleton's main street and the rest is (almost) history.