Opening a store was a big move for us but a necessary step in moving the business forward. We have ‘ummmd’ and ‘ahhhhd’ about the most suitable location for over a year. We had contemplated High St, Armadale – The Wedding Precinct, Malvern, CBD, Chapel St and the options kept coming.  It was a fine line between finding a retail store that was in a fashionable area, yet not too busy that it would make life difficult for our clients to locate parking. Prahran was never an area we set out to be in but now that we are here we love it! The area is home to the perfect mix of mainstream and boutique stores and the cafes are always busy so there is a real buzz about the place!

Window display

Side view

Change room area

Fabric Ladder

I have included some pictures of the journey. They may not appear to highlight huge changes but you would not believe the work that is involved in transforming a space surrounded by red concrete walls into an inviting retail environment that could proudly represent our brand and baby, Ava Madison

In taking a step forward you often doubt yourself and whether it will all come together and be a success, however for every doubtful moment we had 5 inspiring thoughts that meant we would turn this into a reality.  It took a lot of hours, lots of hard work, dirty dusty work, favours from family and friends and countless trips to stores to select shelving, mirrors, a couch and building materials..I must say I learnt the layout of Bunnings quite quickly! First things first, the ugly red wall had to go, then we had to learn to paint using Pearl Paint (yikes – won’t be doing that again!!), masking tape to highlight changing rooms and the front counter, signage, stock, phone lines, a security system and the list just goes on and on!

I see red

Picture from the front of the store

Men at work

Wall display

Building the counter

Wall display from the front

Moving Day

Fear not, it’s not all doom and gloom, we ate a number of Grilled Burgers throughout the process and managed to create a space for our clients that is inviting, elegant and very Ava Madison – those that have been to our showroom will know what I mean 🙂

Grace & Bella dresses

Ava Madison Bridesmaid & Cocktail Dresses

We are extremely happy with the final product and as a result we would love to hold a night to celebrate our new store opening.

The current date is:

*Thursday the 3rd of March starting at 7 pm. Shop 2, 19-23 Izett St, Prahran.  Champagne & sweets provided.

Numbers are limited so please email us at [email protected] to secure your invite.

Bella in strawberry at our Prahran store

Progress pic

Side view

Ms Polka Dot says: How exciting it is to see one of our advertisers,  Ava Madison open their new retail space in Prahran in Melbourne. Never fear, however, if you can’t get to Melbourne, you can still buy their dresses from their on-line shop here . Congratulations to Natalie and Michelle at Ava Madison – your shop looks just so stylish and elegant!

Ava Madison’s sophisticated and glamorous bridesmaid dresses ring true to their philosophy. “We want to create contemporary, elegant and timeless dresses that will make women feel gorgeous.” By uniting their vision with beautiful fabrics, flattering designs and quality local workmanship, Ava Madison aims to bring style and elegance to all fashionable bridal parties.

All photographs taken by Natalie from Ava Madison