New Dress Boutique Brings Flavor Of City To Mill Street

Since opening, Khaleesi Dress Boutique in Bristol Borough sells wedding, prom and many other types of dresses, earning the store many customers from local high schools in recent months around prom season.

According to Maria Storch, the store’s owner, the major influx of customers came as a surprise given the store’s lack of promotion.

“The biggest challenge was the amount of people. It was bigger than I expected,” she said.

Storch had dreamed of opening a dress shop since the birth of her children.

“You’re raising children and doing things, and when my sister opened up the bakery, we were here a lot. When this [building] came up, I thought, ‘Wow that’s great. This looks like a beautiful dress shop,’” she explained.

In constructing the shop, Storch took inspiration from some shops in Rittenhouse Square, which she passes while working her second job as a real estate professional in Philadelphia.

Khaleesi Dress Boutique on Mill Street currently sells wedding gowns, prom gowns, flower girl, mother-of-the-bride and special occasion dresses. Few in stock are duplicates, but a few styles are broadly gaining popularity.

“Prom dresses for the season we had, the girl’s mermaid and ball gown,” Storch said. “A mermaid is slender, and all of a sudden people want the really big ball gowns as well. In-between sizes haven’t worked.”

During prom season, the store saw customers from New Jersey, Pennsbury, Nazareth, Bensalem and the Bucks County Technical High School.

The biggest selling point of Khaleesi is the ability to order custom-made wedding gowns, which take six months minimum to make.

“I have a designer, a seamstress and a pattern maker. That was my goal here, to have custom. It’s hard to get a custom-made wedding gown now. I’m very, very excited about it,” enthused Storch.

“There’s no pushing of sales here, very little pressure. I always tell people to go by shape first.”

The store is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Fridays are typically the busiest days.

The fact that Khaleesi Dress Boutique is not open all seven days of the week and for more hours each day is the most significant negative feedback the store has received so far.

Currently, construction of the building has yet to be completely finished due to the surprise rush of high school prom customers last month. Storch says she plans to expand the store’s bridal area and has something in the works for the back of the shop, as well.

Thus far, many customers appear to be satisfied.

“Great selection of beautiful gowns! Best service! We had a blast finding my daughter’s senior prom gown here!” said Melissa Perrin, a local resident, in a Facebook review.