It is fairly common for a family business to be passed down from one generation to the next. A business owner may retire or want to move onto other things, and so their children will take over and carry on the legacy.
The path has been different for Uniquely Bold, a bridal and women’s formal wear boutique in Fort Thomas. Jasmine Harris started a bridal wear business four years ago. When she announced she wanted to leave the business, her parents and aunt decided not to let the successful venture go.
“My husband, myself and my sister purchased the store, and we redesigned it,” Maury Watson said. “We got in touch with new vendors. It’s been a learning lesson for us, but it’s been fun.”
Learning the business
Watson said the family had always come to the store to help out, but this would be new waters in terms of some of the behind-the-scenes work. Her daughter has been a resource for information and insight along the way, she said.
“So, we’re learning the business,” Watson said. “We’ve been traveling, visiting different people, different manufacturers. It’s a family business and so, we are trying to build from there.”
Watson, along with her husband Ricky and sister, Michelle Nunley, took some time to learn and prepare and make some changes to the space before reopening the business. They have opened in the same location (on the first floor of the Historic Hiland Building in Fort Thomas) with a new name, Uniquely Bold, and held a grand opening and fashion show earlier this month.
The bridal boutique also carries bridesmaids dresses and other formal wear for women. The store has a large variety of sample dresses. Brides-to-be can make an appointment to come in and try them on and then order the dress they want to be custom fitted to their measurements.
The special dress for that special day
Watson said their goal is to provide a fun and relaxing atmosphere to choose the right dress for that special day.
The store is small, about 1,000 square feet, and so Watson said she works by appointment only. Some brides have up to 15 bridesmaids. By setting an appointment, the staff can devote all their time and space to the customer. To set an appointment, just give her a call, she said.
Planning a wedding can be complex and time consuming. Experts advise to work a year in advance for things like booking a hall. For a wedding dress, Watson said brides should start looking seriously about six months in advice.
The process of getting the right fit can take time, she said. After picking out the dress, there is ordering and getting the dress in to try it on. After that comes the alterations and proper fitting.
“No matter what, we can measure you but everybody’s body type is different,” Watson said. “It could be a size 16, but if you are hippy or big busted, we know that when the dress comes in, it will be loose somewhere. Our bodies are just not proportioned for a perfect size 16. You will always want to do your alterations and make the time to do that. Six months is good suggestion, especially if you’re undecided.”
Being open is key
When asked if she’s noticed any trends in bridal attire this year, Watson said it’s all over the place.
“Some girls think they want something until they try it on,” Watson said. “So, there’s no particular trend. It’s not A-line, it’s not a mermaid. It’s just everybody is open, which is wonderful.”
She noted that often a customer will have a dress in mind but when they try it on, it does not look like they expected it would. And, there are dresses they did not think would look good on them. Yet, what they ultimately choose can be very different than what they had in mind when they walked in the door. She advises customers to be open.
Feeling welcome in Fort Thomas
Watson said she feels very welcome in Fort Thomas and likes the close-knit feel of the community. In fact, a few things she experienced even before she opened were pleasant surprises.
She said her grandmother used to talk about “store credit,” a concept that has pretty much gone away. Yet, that’s exactly what a local Fort Thomas grocer offered her for the work crew that had been remodeling and painting her space. She wanted to buy the crew lunch during the week and approached the grocery owner to work that out.
“That was my first time meeting him,” Watson said. “I told him I’m opening the bridal story nearby, and he said no problem. We can just do store credit and I could pay him on Friday…And, another guy in my building makes jewelry. He offered jewelry for the models to wear during the fashion show event.”
She said she is excited to start this new chapter for her family business.
“We’re new to this. We’re a small business trying to grow, and we’re taking baby steps,” she said.
Uniquely Bold is located in the Historic Hiland Building, 18 N. Fort Thomas Avenue in Fort Thomas. They can be reached at (513) 846-4019.