Keeping shoppers here
As the owner of Sara Loree’s Bridal and Formal, Sara Narges spends most of her days surrounded by glamorous wedding gowns and sparkling prom dresses.
But she almost ended up surrounded by books and original manuscripts.
“I thought I’d spend my life doing research,” she said. “I went to school for history and pre-law.”
Then, she met a boy. And fell in love.
“My husband (police chief Brent Narges) is from Wisconsin, and we ended up meeting on Spring Break,” Sara, a Pittsburg native, said. “He quickly got a job in Pittsburg, so we moved back here. We knew we wanted to have kids, so I was looking for something with some flexibility.”
“It’s all about keeping people here.”
After a couple retail jobs in the area, Sara took the leap and opened her own shop in September 1999. Her goal was to provide Pittsburg area shoppers with the same opportunities as those in bigger cities.
“We carry the same brands here as the stores in Kansas City,” Sara said. “You don’t have to leave Pittsburg to find quality dresses and suits. We provide the same products and experiences right here in your hometown.”
Denise Loy, who started as a part-time employee and now manages the store, said helping people shop local is one of her passions.
“It’s all about keeping people here,” she said, “not only to shop at our store, but also to visit the other stores in town. We want them to stay and shop local.”
Sara said she’s enjoyed watching the city grow and change over the past 20 years.
“I would say especially in the past 10 years, the city has really taken off,” she said. “We’ve modernized a bit and are now able to provide a variety of things that used to be only in the bigger cities.”
The city’s focus and re-investment downtown has inspired Sara to take on an exciting project at her shop: upgrading the exterior.
“We’re going to give the outside a nice paint job that is more in line with the city’s vibe today,” she said. “For today’s shopper, it’s all about an entire experience. It’s not just about the products. We want to keep up with the times and make sure we’re providing a very modern experience.”
Check out Sara Loree’s online at https://www.lorees-bridal.com/