New business opens in Imlay City incubator space – The County Press – Thecountypress
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Marla Beal of Hannan House Bridal Boutique (second from left) cuts the ribbon on her new brick-and-mortar shop, located in the Imlay City Downtown Development Authority’s business incubator, @150Pop. Photo by Nicholas Pugliese
IMLAY CITY — The new tenant of the Imlay City Downtown Development Authority (ICDDA)’s business incubator @150Pop is open for business.
Hannan House Bridal Boutique is the latest resident of the DDAowned property at 150 Bancroft St., and owner Marla Beal couldn’t be happier. She’ll be operating her business from @150Pop, offering the community a budgetfriendly location for bridal dresses, wedding wear, formal attire and other accessories.
Beal said her business started after searching the area for an affordable option when it came to a wedding dress for her own daughter. “We had a hard time finding options in our area,” she said. She decided to go into business for herself, operating a bridal boutique from her home. “I really wanted to be able to something like this, because there are a lot of people like me looking for an affordable option,” she said.
Beal, a resident of the Imlay City area, bought the inventory of a bridal store in North Carolina, and got to work buying and selling and building a following on social media. She said she heard of the opportunity to apply for a spot with @150Pop from the owners of Randazzo Jeweler in Almont, and she’s been taking appointments since January in the new space.
Hannan House Bridal Boutique owner Marla Beal chats with bride-to-be Laura Dimmer of Attica Township about the perfect look for her big day, planned for July. Photo by Nicholas Pugliese
On Friday, Beal welcomed members of the community to a ribbon cutting ceremony and offered a look at her wares, which feature more than just bridal dresses, she said. In addition, Hannan House is an option for those seeking formal wear for events like prom and homecoming, galas and other special occasions. “We cater to brides on a budget while maintaining that boutique feel,” she said.
And the ability to open a business without the worry of rent is something that certainly interested Beal. “This is a good litmus test to make sure something like this is viable in the area,” she said. “Afterward, we hope to find a permanent place.”
Hannan House is the latest of several businesses that have had a start at @150Pop, said interim director of the ICDDA, Dana Walker. “When we first created the program around five years ago, this is the exact type of business and entrepreneur we had in mind,” she said. “Marla did an incredible job inside the space, there are a lot of beautiful touches. It’s a wonderful addition to the downtown.”
Walker said the wish for @150Pop is to be a way for prospective business owners to test their business plan and make tweaks to their model without the worry of the overhead that typically comes with operating a brick-and-mortar location.
Hannan House Bridal Boutique is open by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling 810-751-0901 or by emailing hannanhousebridal@gmail.com. For more information, visit the business’s Facebook and Instagram at @HannanHouseBridal.
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