For more than three decades, Lena Bruni’s shop at 149 W. Broadway St. was a hidden gem in downtown Waukesha. Now, at the age of 76, the Italian-born seamstress is retiring from her beloved business, Lena’s Tailoring & Alterations, closing a chapter that has made an impact on generations of families and beyond the community of Waukesha.

Lena’s story began across the ocean. She grew up in Italy, where she studied fashion design and tailoring at a London-based designer school. On July 20, 1968, she arrived in Chicago after marrying a Waukesha resident, whom she met during a chance encounter back in her hometown in Italy when he was on holiday. "We met, went on a date and the rest is history," she said with a laugh.