One word comes to mind when customers enter the small bridal boutique in Blacksburg: over-stimulation. Long gowns, short gowns, white, green black and blue gowns grace the walls as racks and display trees grace the sales floor. If you understood the merchandising jargon just spewed at you, then you are an insider. To the rest of the population, welcome to the world of owning and running a clothing retailer which is a daily task for the owner and associates of Chanitlly Lace on University City Blvd. in Blacksburg, Va.
Started in 1990 by owner Marla Kemsey, Chantilly Lace offers to outfit your entire special occasion, be it your wedding, prom, or pageant, and promises to make sure your date looks spiffy too. " We’re just kind of a one stop shop because we have...pretty much everything except for the venue and the flowers. So pretty much everything," associate Brittany Rawls said.
Rawls’ day begins with opening the store, making sure everything is in place, neat and organized. Then at 10 a.m. they open the store an from then on they are “running around like chickens with [their] heads cut off,” says Rawls. It’s that wonderful time of year when the end of prom season and the beginning of wedding season overlap. Not to mention most college sororities have their formals this time of year.
“UPS drops off our new shipment, we unpack, tag and steam them, book the customers that need to come pick up and try on their dresses and set up alterations.” said Tara Loniewsai, an associate at the boutique. At this point Kemsey the owner steps in. She is an extraordinarily difficult woman to get a hold of, but between all the alterations that are scheduled and potentially overlap, it’s understandable to see how.
“On a Saturday, I spend most of the day, working with customers...sometimes I’ll have 15 or 16 fittings back-to-back every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the morning and then they slack up in the afternoon in addition to the fittings, I also help the customers accessorizing.” Getting details down such as what earrings to wear for an every day outfit could take a matter of days. Imagine a wedding gown.
Kemsey has a degree in design but doesn’t have time to do all the alterations herself. “I train the seamstresses, but I don’t have time to physically do all the sewing. There can be times where we have a 100 dresses in line waiting to be altered...If they’re behind [altering the dresses] then I will step in and do as many as I can.” ‘Can’ is the critical operative word here. Kemsey also owns and operates Kent Jewelers on Main St. in Kent Square. Just before being interviewed, Kemsey had come from a meeting with a women’s club to showcase her jewelry and promote Kent Jewelers.
“I have great staff at both [Chantilly Lace and Kent Jewelers]” Kemsey said, when asked if she had an assistant. “I just take care of the big stuff. No, but gee wiz, that’s a novel idea!”
What separates Chantilly Lace from your average bridal shop, like, David’s Bridal is that they are a custom bridal shop and not a ready-to-wear retailer. In a wold of fast- paced high speed “order it off the internet and you’re set” world. Each of these dresses is bought straight form the designer and is fitted just to your size.
“If you wanted sleeves added, or the neckline changed, or I often will have to make maternity bridesmaid’s dresses. Kemsey said, “So we’ll work with a dress that the bride’s chosen and modify it. It Just depends on what the customer wants. Some of the designers will do modifications ‘in house’ and some of them won’t,” “You can tell in their face, they’re smiling, and you can just tell they’re comfortable in it. They also stay in in longer than any of the other dresses. You don’t even have to say it. Just right off the bat. Just from working here, you know,” said Brittany Ashe “When a bride has found just the right dress. It’s instinct.”
“There are the ‘Bridezillas’ even in Blacksburg’” said Ashe. “They just bring stress with them too us! They’re very detail oriented which, I don’t blame them, it’s their big day. They want it to be how it’s supposed to be.”
“Honestly, the dresses, I love the dresses.” said Tara Loniewsai, also a sales associate. “And seeing people try them on and see their faces light up”. For these women, dresses are central to the whole operation.
The owner herself has traveled up and down the east coast and the midwest to find just the right gowns for her shop. Every Spring and Fall, when most designers present their lines for the coming season, Kemsey travels to Chicago or New York to go to “market” and check out designer’s featured styles for the upcoming season. One look around, one could only imagine how extensively Kemsey works to keep such wonderful clothes on the racks season after season.
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