Nottingham-based bridal retailer Dressplace has unveiled a new store in the iconic Courtaulds Building on Haydn Road with help from Fraser Brown Solicitors.
Dressplace was founded back in 2009 by owner Helen Dickson following numerous negative bridal shopping experiences whilst accompanying her three daughters as they searched for their dream dresses.
Based on the service she wished her daughters had received, she set up a dress agency in Southwell selling pre-loved gowns and offering stellar service to brides to be and their mothers to ensure they had a tranquil, respectful and pleasant shopping experience.
The company quickly went from strength to strength, attracting customers across the UK, and the business moved from Southwell to a central location on George Street in the Lace Market back in 2014.
Helen then opened Brides & Mothers Designer Wedding Outlet at Ransom Wood Business Park in Mansfield in 2017 and it was the success of this outlet and the demand for one in Nottingham that led to her decision to settle in the historic Courtaulds Building, a large site that would allow Helen to offer the outlet services within the same premises as a bridal boutique.
Kerry Elliott at Fraser Brown Solicitors acted on behalf of Helen Dickson at Dressplace to secure the lease for the new 6300 sq. ft store and business opened for trading at the end of December 2018, offering designer bridal gowns to order and ready-to-wear bridal gowns at reduced prices.
The new store is situated next to the Courtaulds Factory shop at the opposite end of the building to the Nottingham Free School.
On the move to the Courtaulds Building, Dressplace owner Helen said: “For more than 25 years, I had planned to open my bridal boutique and my desire to do this increased whilst accompanying my three daughters in their search for their dream wedding dresses.
“I discovered that the whole bridal experience could be very stressful, with very poor service from many boutiques. I vowed to open a lovely, calm wedding boutique where everyone is treated with respect and leaves with a smile on their face.
“I opened my first Dressplace boutique in Southwell back in 2009, and its initial success led to us moving to a more central premises in the Lace Market area of the city centre. Over time, we decided to look for a larger, more accessible site and settled in the fantastic historic spot that is the Courtaulds Building on Haydn Road.
“The huge size of the site has allowed us to incorporate our outlet and boutique services into one space and we have our own huge free car park too. We opened our doors on 29 December and were very happy to help our first bride find her dream dress.
“We’d like to continue offering exceptional customer service with an expert alterations service to every customer, whatever their budget, and we are already growing our team with two new staff appointments, bringing the total staff number to 14.”
Kerry Elliott, senior associate, commercial property at Fraser Brown said: “Dressplace is a real Nottingham success story and the company continues to go from strength to strength.
“The new premises in the iconic Courtaulds Building on Haydn Road really meets the requirements of the business in a popular, convenient spot with free parking. The fact that the business is on the ground floor adds to the ease of trading and the overall seamless experience that Dressplace is striving to create for brides to be. The site will give the company the necessary environment to facilitate progression and I wish Helen every success for the future.”
