STROUD TOWNSHIP, PA — For nearly 33 years, Mattie Williams has been helping brides pick out the perfect dress inside her store, Elegant Bridal and Boutique.
But you would never know that back in June, her then-store along route 611, in the Fountain Court Shopping Plaza near Bartonsville, went up in flames.
"We were open that Saturday, and we left, I think, we closed around six, and we left. Little did we know that would be the last time we walked through the doors, so it was devastating," said Williams.
This store across the street From St. Luke's Monroe campus in Stroud Township is her new location.
Williams said the day after the fire, she was on the phone working to get back bridal gowns and dresses that were lost.
"get gowns, replacement gowns, putting in rush orders, and what have you," Williams said. "I can really say that we didn't miss a wedding, of all that. We were able to order and replace every gown."
Next was finding the location to reopen.
In September, she signed the lease on this location,
"The place was bare. Bare floors, bare wall. So we had to build out the store," said Williams.
The owner says they're just about ready to reopen. The only thing they're waiting on is more dresses.
"We actually are carrying more designers than we were in our old store. We added some designers to the mix. We're still going to have the same customer service. We still want the family appeal. You know, everyone that comes through the door, we want them to feel like this is home," said Tamara Williams-Hood.
For Mattie's Daughter, Tamara, the reopening of the new store is bittersweet.
"You know it's hard to start over. But When she initially opened the store, I was 10 years old, so I wasn't really part of that. So It's different now. I feel like I'm a part of it from the ground up," said Williams-hood.
All these months later, the site where the fire happened remains rubble, but the Williams family remains strong, hoping for another 33 years in business.
Elegant Bridal and Boutique will host its grand reopening on December 2nd.