Bride business grows into Langley
An American bridal and special occasion shop has opened its first B.C. store in Langley
Assistant manager Carrie Wharff, Kayla Husel (modelling a dress), assistant manager Joy Clamosa, manager Michelle Park (with scissors) and Alexis Paguio (another store clerk modelling a dress) took part in the David's Bridal grand opening ribbon cutting Jan. 10.
Photograph by: Heather Colpitts , Langley Advance
It's a wedding made in business school - Langley and David's Bridal.
"We are thrilled to say 'I Do' to Langley," store manager Michelle Park said at the grand opening ceremony Jan. 10.
The decision to land in Langley was based on a few factors. District manager Victoria Rucks said the business looked at the postal codes of customers at its northwestern U.S. stores to track where its customers come from.
"Canada is an important growth market for us, and we're thrilled that brides are embracing our unique business model that allows them to work with a knowledgeable bridal consultant, try on a wide selection of gowns in a variety of sizes, and often go home with the dress of their dreams on the same day," said Brian Beitler, Chief marketing officer.
As well, David's Bridal needed a sizable space. The Langley store is almost 8,000 square feet. It took over the former Nood store in the Rio Can Power Centre on the Langley Bypass.
And Langley's geographic location helped make it the chosen locale. The store is expected to draw customers from around the Lower Mainland.
"We've got a nice big area to draw from," Rucks said. Langley marks store number nine for David's Bridal Canada. The business started about six decades ago in the United States and has more than 300 U.S. stores.
Rucks said the company expects to continue its expansion into Canada. The day before opening Langley, she was at the Calgary store launch.
The Langley store opened quietly in November and has been training staff. Rucks explained that with the store aiming to be one-stop-shopping for weddings and big occasions, the staff are very involved with the clients, acting almost in a capacity as wedding planner.
David's Bridal also tries to bring the customers' needs under one roof so in each community it operates, the wedding chain sets up networks and relationships with various businesses. David's Bridal and Moore's have joined forces with all the colours that the bridal shop has being available in the Moore's men's wedding attire, for example.
