HEREABOUTS beth anspach
Lisa Brown of Vandalia has raised three daughters, all of whom have had an interest in pageants. So it was a natural fit for the family to make a long time dream come true Feb. 1 with the opening of Pure Prom and Pageant, located at 9145 N. Dixie Drive in Butler Twp.
“Pageants have always been a love of ours,” Brown said. “All three of my girls love makeup and dresses so when one of the larger local bridal shops went out of business, it seemed like a good time to try opening our own store.”
Brown, along with Krislyn, 24, Kara, 21, and Jordan, 17, found the perfect space, added their own decorating touches and began stocking the one of a kind designer gowns and dresses that girls and their mothers want.
And because Brown and her daughters were nearly always shopping for new gowns and dresses, both for pageants and proms, they learned a lot. “One thing we found out was that customer service seemed to be lacking in a lot of stores,” Brown said. “We wanted a boutique feel for our store, and we wanted to offer an upscale look and feel.”
Brown’s store is designed with a runway and mirrors so girls can try on their perfect dress and see how it flows as they move. And to make every experience unique, Brown has instituted the “prom promise,” for her customers.
“We only sell one gown per school. This means that girls don’t have to worry that someone else will be at the same prom or homecoming wearing the same dress,” she said.
With prom and pageant dresses averaging about $300, it’s a major investment, but something, according to Brown, that mothers and daughters have shared for generations. “Every mom wants her daughter to have a memorable and special prom night,” Brown said. “I hear a lot of them say ‘Don’t tell your dad!’ ”
Brown is attracting customers from all over the southwestern part of the state, including people who tell her they can’t find the same selection anywhere else. Jennifer Kennard of Franklin stopped in to pick up a prom dress for her daughter, Lauren. “We looked everywhere in Cincinnati and someone suggested this store to us,” Kennard said. “We found the dress we wanted here right away. This store is so unique!”
With so many gowns from which to choose, many girls find themselves easily overwhelmed. Brown said she has dedicated herself to helping every girl find the perfect dress.
“We find dresses for them and order them if we have to,” Brown said. “Girls bring in pictures from magazines and we do our best to find that dress.”
For more information about Brown’s store, call (937) 415-7766 or visit her Web site at www.purepromandpageant.com.
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