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Five years ago Barbara Weber Friese sold the building that housed her wellness salon and clothing boutique in downtown Pipestone and retired.
Earlier this year she bought the brick Victorian-style home south of Luverne.
The move centrally located her near to her four adult children and 10 grandchildren, and it also brought Friese out of retirement and back into business this month.
“Retirement isn’t for me,” she said.
With thoughts of moving closer to Sioux Falls, Friese saw the Victorian house on South Highway 75 and knew she found an ideal location to reopen her hair salon and bridal boutique in her home.
“Barbara Kay’s Bridal Boutique” is open by appointment only, meaning Friese is not tied to set business hours, but she’s also not retired.
“By appointment” allows her to devote one-on-one attention to brides-to-be, their friends and family members as they peruse dresses in the private atmosphere.
“It’s more of a personal, special type of time to shop for a bridal dress,” she said. “It’s just really welcoming and really different from other bridal boutiques.”
Friese converted the home’s upstairs bedrooms to display the 85 bridal gowns and 38 prom dresses she typically has on hand.
The gowns and dresses are “off the rack,” meaning customers purchase the dress they choose that day. There’s no waiting for an order to arrive.
Working with a wholesaler, Friese is able to offer her merchandise at a savings to her customers — prices are 50 to 70 percent less than retail prices.
Selling from the rack also means that some dress styles may be available only in certain sizes, she said.
While Friese doesn’t complete the dress alterations herself, she’s able to recommend local seamstresses who can alter a dress to fit.
The end result is a unique product.
“They’ll have a one-of-a-kind dress that no one else has,” she said.
The search for a dress for her daughter’s wedding in 2011 prompted Friese to enter the bridal boutique business as a low-cost alternative for local brides-to-be.
“I paid a lot for the dress,” she recalled. “I was like ‘holy cow’ — I felt there was a need for this.”
A beautician for 40 years, Friese was used to working with the public, but she needed to give her arms and hands a rest from the repetition of cutting hair.
Her new “by appointment only” business allows her to slow down and enjoy retirement on terms she finds acceptable.
She set up a hair salon on her home’s main floor, also by appointment.
Since her move to Luverne in August, Friese has been painting the walls throughout the Victorian home. She officially opened the boutique to wedding and prom dress shoppers on Oct. 23.
She sold three wedding dresses on opening day, filling the need for a local dress shopping option.
For an appointment, contact Friese at 507-215-2098. Her home business is located at 1501 S. Kniss Ave., Luverne.