For New Owners, Oceana Is A Family Affair

Sometimes you have to make a move when the opportunity presents itself. So that’s exactly what the new owners of Oceana did.

Brewster residents Jen and Russ Heamer, along with Jen’s parents, Midge and Bud Dey, wasted little time when the long-running boutique in Main Street Square in Orleans went on the market in December. They closed on the business at the end of March, and on April 1, they had a soft opening. Little did they know then, it was 30 years to the day since Oceana’s original owner, Carol Wright, first opened the shop.

“There’s been a lot of fortuitous things like that,” Jen said of coming into owning the store, which celebrated its official grand opening under the new ownership May 1.

Midge and Bud, who have been Harwich residents for the past 30 years, formerly owned their own namesake store, Marjorie’s, with two locations on Cape in Harwich Port and Brewster and a third in Sudbury. When the Brewster store was accidentally destroyed by a fire, Jen and Russ, then residents of Southborough, built a home there and relocated full time in 2015.

When Oceana’s previous owner, Jane Williamson, put the business on the market late last year, the family leapt at the chance to go into business together. For Jen, it was an opportunity to leave behind a career that kept her on the road most of the year and finally settle down on the Lower Cape.

“All of my friends are all over the country because I travel so much,” she said. “They just keep laughing, like ‘Jen, you’re just giddy.’ And I am. My suitcases are in the basement.”

Inside, Oceana looks much the same as it long has. There is glassware, jewelry, gifts, art and decorative pieces of all kinds, all with a pronounced Cape Cod theme. “Gift coastal,” as Jen describes it.

“There’s a lot of beautiful accent pieces that can go in any home, stuff that can be hung. There’s a little bit of everything,” she said.

The owners bought Oceana in turnkey fashion, purchasing all of the inventory along with the retail space. Jen said she envisions sticking with about 60 to 70 percent of the existing lines, while also making some room for new vendors. She said there’s also talk about carving out space in the store for a “men’s gallery” where products such as cigars and whiskey might be sold.

And with summer just around the corner, the new owners say they want to host events outdoors. Next to the building, there is space for people to sit and gather, which Jen said might be put to use as space for live music during the Orleans Chamber of Commerce’s First Friday events.

“It’s been fun for us to realize what a staple it is for Orleans and a go-to place,” Jen said. “And we want to just keep building on that and create this community for everybody.”

Meanwhile, each of the co-owners is settling nicely into their respective roles in the business. Jen and Marjorie handle the purchasing, while Bud handles the finance end of things. Russ, the newcomer of the four to retail, handles shipping and receiving.

“He’s our secret sauce,” Midge said.

After a career spent in construction, Russ said working in the store has been an “eye-opening” but enjoyable experience. 

“It’s been great learning and a lot of fun,” he said. “I definitely agree with the sentiment that it was the right thing at the right time. It was the right move for all of us.”

And while working closely with family might be a dicey proposition for some, it’s second nature for the new owners, who outside of work travel together and enjoy a close-knit relationship. Over the years, Russ said, they’ve all learned how to work well with each other.

“To see [Jen’s] professionalism and the set of skills she brings to the table, they’re completely different from mine, which are completely different from my mother-in-law’s, which are completely different from my father-in-law’s. It’s a great team,” said Russ.

For Midge, Oceana marks a return to small business ownership after five years most recently spent in the gift shop at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club.

“It’s been like coming home,” she said.

Midge said she and the rest of her family treat operating Oceana as a way of representing Orleans and the Cape. More than merchants, they’re ambassadors to the region for the many tourists who visit the area seasonally.

“You have to love it,” she said. “You have to love it. When people come in and they have a good experience here, they feel good about Orleans. They feel good about the Cape.”