The Bridal Boutique is back

When The Bridal Boutique in Sheboygan Falls closed its doors last spring, it left a sizable void in the local bridal gown, wedding accessory and formal-wear market.

Prior to closing, it had been the one of the only full-service bridal salons of its kind in Sheboygan County.

Thanks to new owner Amy Baumann, prospective brides have no need to fret about making a long trip to a larger city. The Bridal Boutique is back in business.

After gaining retail-sales experience at Walmart and ShopKo, Bauman is ready to take on the challenge of owning her own business.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Baumann said. “It has been a lot of hard work to get things going, but I feel it will all be worth it.”

Baumann, who re-opened the salon Dec. 8, pursued The Bridal Boutique opportunity, upon learning of its impending closure last spring.

“I was at a bonfire party with some friends, and I heard that Karen [Lewis] was trying to sell all of her inventory, because she was closing,” she said. “I thought that it was an interesting opportunity, so I called her, and things started rolling from there.

“I didn’t have any real experience in bridal wear, so I did a lot of research. In July, I began reading books on starting a business and putting together a business plan.”

From July through November, Baumann stayed very busy selecting dress brands and designers, purchasing inventory and revamping the interior of the store.

“There was a lot to do. That’s for sure,” Baumann said. “We basically tore everything apart, did a thorough cleaning and painted all the walls.

“I am happy with the way this turned out,” she said. “I like the look of the store a lot.”

She chose to keep The Bridal Boutique name by forming a limited liability company (LLC).

“I wanted the name to stay the same, because it has always had such a good client base,” she said. “It is nice to have a name that already has such a good reputation in the area.”

Baumann currently has nearly 300 dresses in stock, with 50 more on order, including bridal, bridesmaid, flower girl and prom dresses.

“We have pretty much anything and everything, when it comes to dresses,” she said. “We specialize in the Maggie Sottero bridal dress brand and the Forever Yours brand for brides and bridesmaids.

“A lot people come in looking for a certain brand name. If it is available in our showroom, we can order dresses from any designer.”

Bridal gown prices range from $100 for discontinued dresses to $1,200 for current brands and styles.

Prices for bridesmaid dresses vary between $130 and $230.

“We can go as simple or as extravagant as a bride or wedding party wants to go,” Baumann said. “We have all colors and sizes, from size 6 through size 24.

“We also have swatches from every designer, in case a person doesn’t see the color they want in our showroom,” she said. “I will go out of my way to please the customer.”

In addition to dresses, The Bridal Boutique has a wide selection of wedding accessories, including shoes, purses, jewelry and veils.

“This is a full-service business, so I am striving to have everything a person could ever want here,” Baumann said.

Tuxedo rentals are also available.

“We do rent tuxes from all brands and styles, including Calvin Klein and After Six,” Baumann said. “There are many different combinations that can be selected for shoes, vests and tails.”

The store features a large dressing room area, complete with a spacious viewing area and a full-size wall mirror.

“We have a really nice dressing area,” Baumann said. “We have two dressing rooms for brides and three for bridesmaids, as well as a fitting area for tuxedo rentals.”

For those looking for the perfect gift for a bridal shower or as a thank you for their wedding party, Baumann has Greenwick candles and gift baskets available.

“The Greenwick candles are really nice,” Baumann said. “I would like to make the gifts a big part of the business. Someday I would also like to add invitations.”

Baumann is currently entering the busy season for the bridal business. “January is considered to be the start of the busy season, which typically runs through August,” she said. “So far, business has been booming. I am thrilled about that.

“Sometimes it is hard to meet the demand, especially when we have bridal parties come in together,” she said. “My mom and dad have been helping, but right now it is basically just me. My hope is to add a parttime person soon.”

As one of very few bridal salons in the area, The Bridal Boutique has a large customer base to draw on.

“There are not many bridal shops around the area,” she said. “A lot of people aren’t interested in traveling to Appleton or Milwaukee, so this is a really ideal spot to be in.

“In the bigger stores, you often find dresses that have been tried on several times, which may have suffered some wear and tear. That is not a problem here. The dye lot might also not match well if bridesmaid dresses are ordered at different times. I do my best to avoid that.”

Baumann, who offers a gown preservation service, said she will ship bridesmaid dresses anywhere, for those who are unable to try on a dress in person.

A native of Sheboygan and a current resident of Sheboygan Falls, Baumann is looking forward to her ambitious new endeavor.

“I like people, and this is great business to work with people, most of whom are very happy and excited,” she said. “I love Sheboygan Falls.

“The people are so nice and friendly,” she said. “I’m very excited to be here.”

The Bridal Boutique, located at 1094 Fond du Lac Ave. in Sheboygan Falls, is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

To contact The Bridal Boutique call 467-2900.