I haven’t yet bought a bra at Town Shop, but I have found other great resources there–my Grenier corset in February and my strappy top yesterday. I really like this store. It has character–which of course includes a few character flaws, the main one being that I couldn’t just walk into a dressing room with my tops yesterday. I had to put my name on a sign-in sheet and wait at least 20 minutes.
For me, the store’s best characteristic is that it doesn’t seem to have a high turnover rate. If you’ve read my past bra-fitting reviews, you know that I like to return to the same saleswoman, and I tend to recommend a person rather than just the store. So it made me happy to see that Bessie, the woman who put me into my corset at the beginning of the year, was still there. I didn’t work with her yesterday, but I could hear her giving great advice to her customers. Once as she left a dressing room, she said, “You just take your time. I don’t want to pressure you.” If this is how you’re treated once you’re in the dressing room, it might be worth the wait.
Chantelle helped me yesterday. She took one look at the first top I tried on and immediately suggested a 34FF, which turned out to be exactly what I needed. (For someone who blogs about bras, I’ve been surprised lately by how much help I still need with fitting.) She found it in black and white, and even in a pink that was 50% off. I appreciated that extra effort. I also appreciated the woman at the cash register who voluntarily checked whether my Grenier corset was on sale. It wasn’t, and she knew that would make me feel better.
A brick and mortar store like the Town Shop definitely fills a need, and I’ll keep checking it periodically to see what’s available. If you know of resources like this in your neighborhood (that provide more than just bras and give good service), please share here!
