Black-owned bridal shop closes Charlotte store and switches to new format

Kaela Moore, owner of Treasured Brides, has closed her Charlotte bridal shop to engage her customers in a new way: through a mobile shopping experience.

Moore’s new semi-private gown event brings her store to life “without the overhead,” she told QCity Metro. The experience, she said, will “feel really similar” to shopping for a wedding dress in a store, complete with seating for guests, mirrors, dressing suites and more.

The shopping event will take place in Ballantyne on August 31. Brides can take an hour to browse the selection of more than 50 dress styles during the event. Moore said sizes range from 4 to 24.

Moore opened Treasured Brides’ storefront earlier this year and began taking private appointments in April. She closed the business on June 30 following a dispute over the space. Moore could not provide details due to a non-disclosure agreement, but told QCity Metro she and her then-landlord had “parted ways amicably.”

After leaving the store, she felt depressed. The unexpected departure resulted in a loss of sales as she had to cancel or reschedule several appointments, which she says resulted in her selling fewer dresses.

“I felt like I was mourning my business; I was mourning my dream,” she said. Moore said she spent several weeks looking for a new space but couldn’t find anything that fit her budget.

“My business was basically homeless and didn’t know where to go. … Commercial space is so expensive in Charlotte that I definitely feel like I can’t afford it anymore.”

After some time, she changed her mindset. She decided to turn the store into a mobile or pop-up event where guests could book a limited time to shop on the same day.

Adaptation of the “mindset”

“I think this is going to be innovative because I don’t know of any other bridal shop that does this,” she said. “I can take this anywhere. It also gives me a bigger customer base. I can go to Greensboro or Durham or Atlanta and bring Treasured Brides there instead of having them come to me in Charlotte. I’m excited about it.”

While Moore is excited about the future of her company, she said she initially found it difficult to accept the change.

“The hardest part was changing my mindset and coming to terms with not having a physical store,” she said. She added that many business owners believe a physical location is a prerequisite for success, but she is trying to “unlearn” that.

She described the last two months as a “lesson in entrepreneurship” and a reminder of her ability to adapt and reinvent her brand when needed.

Moore said that while it was challenging to change customers’ mindsets about finding a dress outside of a traditional dress store, it was also “a great opportunity” to interact with customers in a different way.

She told QCity Metro that shoppers can expect dresses at up to 75 percent off the regular retail price at the August 31 event. There will also be specially designed 7′ x 7′ dressing rooms, a dressing assistant for each bride and space for the bridal party or families to sit and watch the dress fitting.

Moore may also add things like a bouquet, hair accessories or jewelry to give brides what she calls “the big day feeling” and help them envision what they might look like on their wedding day.

There are also light snacks and drinks.

Overall, she said, brides would have the same experience trying on dresses as they would in a traditional store.

The shopping event will take place on August 31 in a function room at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlotte-Ballantyne. Brides can reserve a time slot for $25. Gown prices range from $399 to $699.