The owner of a popular bridal boutique has opened a sister shop providing luxury Mother of the Bride and Groom and other wedding guest outfits, occasion wear and prom dresses.
Kelly Bates has been running Roberta’s Bridal in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, for the past 19 years and says launching The Guest List in Leek has been the best way to expand while complementing her other business.
The shop on a former laundrette site on West Street opened less than a fortnight ago and appointments are already in high demand.
Kelly had been toying with the idea of launching the business for a few years before taking the plunge, but always had Leek in mind as a base.
She said: “The Guest List is something I had been considering for a while and I always wanted it to be in Leek, but I couldn’t find the premises previously.
“I’m so excited to finally open. Leek is a nice, bustling town and one of the few still with a good level of footfall.
“The people here are lovely, and we’ve had such a friendly welcome. At the same time, we hope to also pull people in from further afield.”
The Guest List is open by appointment with an emphasis on providing a personal service.
It has partnered with renowned designers including Veni Infantino, Carla Ruiz, Condici, Inspirato and Morilee to provide outfits and accessories for any big event.
Kelly, who is aiming to soon take on a local person to work in the shop with her, added: “We offer a one-to-one personal service making sure customers such as a Mother of the Bride really feel looked after and leave feeling great.”
