Boutique Clothing Store DeeJay's Will Close After More Than 40 Years in Business in Southampton Village

In the spring of 2025, Dee Jay’s, a boutique clothing store on the south end of Main Street in Southampton Village, would have celebrated 50 years in business. It was a milestone that owners Deborah and Jack Ohana were intent on reaching.

But in early November, they received the disappointing news that it’s a goal they will not achieve.

The couple announced that after 47 years in business, they will be forced to close their doors soon.

Earlier this week, Deborah Ohana said that she and her husband had reached out multiple times to their landlord over the summer, in an attempt to renew their lease. In late October, she was told that a lease extension would not be granted. She described being “shellshocked” by the news.

The building at 11 Main Street is owned by BB Equities LLC.

Nora Fithian works for a company that manages properties for BB Equities and confirmed earlier this week that the lease, which is technically up on January 31, would not be renewed for the Ohanas.

Deborah Ohana said she was hoping that the landlords would grant her a lease extension until the spring, so she would have more time to sell off the remainder of her merchandise and satisfy the needs of many longtime, loyal customers.

“I was not expecting this whatsoever,” she said. Fithian pointed out that the terms state that it is a nonrenewable lease, but Ohana said that over the years she has been a tenant there, renewing the lease has always been “a very easy process.”

“Right now, I’m very concerned,” she said. “We have to liquidate everything, and it’s not something that can be done in a matter of days. So right now we’re in limbo.

“It’s a very difficult situation,” she added. “It’s very sad. We have so many loyal customers, and they’re going to be stunned.”

The Ohanas opened DeeJay’s in spring 1975. They had previously run a store in Queens but decided to make the move out east after spending a weekend in Southampton and having lunch at Silver’s, the iconic village restaurant formerly located next door to what became Dee Jay’s. After having lunch that day, nearly half a century ago, they saw a “for rent” sign in the window at 11 Main Street, and two days later struck a deal to move into the empty storefront.

While they are past retirement age, by average standards, she said they were really hoping to hit that milestone anniversary with the store. She said that, at least for now, the future is a bit of an unknown.

“I thought I had a few more years to decide what road I wanted to take,” she said. “Right now, we’re in limbo. We’re just taking it one day at a time.”