Couples often have serendipitous stories about how their romantic relationship came together. The same is appropriately true for business partners Michelle Lantz and Emily Archer, whose new business,
The Dowry, is all about romance.
“I had been talking about and planning to opening a bridal shop for about 18 months,” says Lantz, “and she has been on the sort of same timeline.”
Though they only met a couple of months ago, the
Grand Ledge women found their entrepreneurial aspirations to be a perfect match. Lantz had recently purchased 750 wedding gowns, and Archer was looking for inventory to stock her future bridal consignment shop.”
“She found out I had all that merchandise, and she realized she didn’t have to stock more inventory,” says Lantz.
The Dowry will be opening on May 1 in Downtown Grand Ledge and will celebrate a grand opening during the city’s Victorian Festival. The 2,700 square foot location will feature new, consignment and rental attire for brides, grooms and their wedding parties.
“Women are realizing that their daughters aren’t going to want to wear their wedding dresses, so they’re getting rid of them,” says Lantz. “We’re also doing gown rental for brides and bridesmaids, which is something that used to be common back in my mom’s mom’s generation.”
Lantz says that Grand Ledge is the perfect location for a bridal store, as the town has become a wedding destination for hundreds of couples every year.
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