In June 1980, CNN premiered as the first 24-hour news station. “The Shining” was playing at movie theaters, and “Funkytown” by Lipps, Inc. was the top hit on the radio. The filly Genuine Risk had won the Kentucky Derby and placed in both the Preakness and Belmont. And Betty Spain opened a Lexington boutique that would also stand the test of time.
Originally from Campton, Kentucky, Spain was in her early 20s when she opened a little shop in Chevy Chase on Clay Avenue. She named it Déjà Vu and sold vintage clothing for women and men, some of which she made herself out of kimonos from Tokyo. Five months in, she found herself outgrowing the space and looking for a larger building. She found a two-story building on Maxwell Street at South Upper and fell in love with the windows, which she says are “like billboards.”
“It’s the prettiest corner in town,” Spain said of the building. This summer, she is celebrating 40 years of operating a clothing boutique in the space.
A decade after moving to Maxwell, Spain changed the name of Déjà Vu to Bella Rose and stopped selling men’s clothing.
“I didn’t want to attend as many markets and wanted to focus on women, and empowering women to feel better and look better and be the best they can be,” she said. “I’m in the business of cheering up women – and as a result, it cheers up the men.”
Bella Rose is known for selling designer fashions that include day dresses, cocktail dresses, sweaters and separates, and special occasion outfits such as dresses for the mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom. Designers include Nicole Miller, Milly, Badgley Mischka, Teri Jon and Shoshanna, among others. Spain orders a limited number of designs – usually just one, and never more than three – of the same designer dress.
“You’re not going to run into yourself at an event,” she said. “We do our very best to honor that.”
And she doesn’t reorder the same outfit, as a rule. “We like to keep it fresh and updated,” she said of the seasonal merchandise.
Last October, one of Bella Rose’s staff members (the shop employs six) got the store’s online sales up and going. While Spain had initially resisted the idea of online sales, the move to embrace virtual shopping ended up being a lifesaver for the shop during the initial weeks of the pandemic.
“I’ve never been an online shopper personally, and didn’t want my business represented that way,” Spain said. “I’m grateful now.”
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Bella Rose features a unique variety of designer dresses and special occasion outfits, as well as jewelry and accessories for women. Photos by Bill Straus
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Bella Rose features a unique variety of designer dresses and special occasion outfits, as well as jewelry and accessories for women. Photos by Bill Straus
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Bella Rose features a unique variety of designer dresses and special occasion outfits, as well as jewelry and accessories for women. Photos by Bill Straus
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Bella Rose features a unique variety of designer dresses and special occasion outfits, as well as jewelry and accessories for women. Photos by Bill Straus
When Bella Rose was closed to in-person shopping for nearly three months earlier this year, the online shop kept the business afloat. As orders came in through the website, Spain and her staff delivered boxes of merchandise to customers’ homes in town and also offered curbside pick up. Shipping to clients in California, New York, Florida and New Mexico initially slowed down during the early days of the pandemic, but is largely back on track now.
“I never dreamed I would live through something like this,” she said of the pandemic. “It’s really hard to talk about. We all have been affected by it and we all have to recover from it.”
Spain’s daughter, Haley Williams, assists in buying and the every day running of the business. She and her brother, Mason Williams, a human resources professional, grew up in the store. Their mom had a playpen in the boutique and a swing anchored to the ceiling.
“I missed a lot when my children were growing up because I was a single working mom,” Spain said, but she adds that she has always been down to earth with them – literally, with playing outside and planting gardens also having been a large part of their upbringing. “My children did Earth Day before Earth Day was cool,” she said. And no video games for Spain’s grandchildren, she adds, as she is far more likely to be making dill pickles with them from cucumbers purchased at a local farmers’ market.
“I didn’t have grandparents after I was 8 years old,” she said. “Being a good ‘Gigi’ is really important to me, to make those memories.”
She and her husband, Robert Spain, have a total of seven grandsons. Spain is also a member of 100 Women, a local organization supporting local nonprofits that help women and children. She is involved with the Philharmonic Guild and a nonprofit called 4Kids, a mentoring program for middle school students. She has supported many causes over the years, and has provided numerous Bella Rose gift certificates for charitable events.
As to the secret for staying in business for 40 years, Spain credits to “my faith, my family and fashion.”
“The love of those things is what makes me tick,” she said. “I really love empowering women. I love seeing them put on a dress they feel good about.”
She feels honored to help people celebrate Derby, dances, parties and other festive events in style. “I’m dedicated to this community and proud to be part of it for 40 years,” she said. “I’ve been blessed to surround myself with a fabulous staff. I’m grateful to all of my present and previous employees. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
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Bella Rose owner Betty Spain opened the Lexington boutique Déjà Vu in 1980, later changing the shop’s name to Bella Rose. Photos Bill Straus
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Bella Rose owner Betty Spain opened the Lexington boutique Déjà Vu in 1980, later changing the shop’s name to Bella Rose. Photos Bill Straus
BELLA ROSE
126 Maxwell St.
(859) 255-2565