Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Martin.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
So back in 1986, I was hired as a presser at a local bridal salon in my hometown of Birmingham, Michigan. It was my first after school job. I was horrible but I found out quickly I was good at selling. I continued working part-time after high school and during my holiday breaks through college. After graduation, I wasn’t finding a job in my field of graduation, I was offered a manager position at the store I was working at and then took over management of their other bridal salon all by the age of 24.
I moved to the west coast at 28 and worked for 2 design houses in Los Angeles. I traveled all over the United States representing these brands on the wholesale side. On my free time, I would come visit my brother in San Diego, who was a navy seal. I fell in love with San Diego. I eventually moved down and ran the bridal salon at Neiman Marcus. I saw there was a real void in the San Diego Market for an independent bridal salon. That led me to start M bride within 10 months and I have been in business for 14 years.
I have not only catered to the local market but have built a brand with an international clientele as well. The San Diego community has been very good to me and I am incredibly grateful to the many lives that I have been a part of on one of the most special days in a woman’s life, their wedding day.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is ever a smooth road. If it was, then you wouldn’t learn and grow. 2008 definitely affected a lot of businesses, not just the wedding industry. It was a challenging time for everyone with a small business but I adapted and brought in new inventory that was reflective of the buying power back then. Today it is wrapping around the “Millennials” and their buying habits. It is totally different then it was 10 years ago.
There is so much out there via social media that I feel that it is much harder for a bride to make a decision. They want to be 120% about the gown. This is a generation that has “FOMO.” Before people may go to 1-3 stores on average, now it is 5-8 stores on average with many stores carrying the exact same thing. They want to make sure they see everything. We have had to adapt to this way of thinking so I want to make sure I have designers that no one else has. Something that is unique but not compromising quality.
I want to make sure that a bride sees everything I have to offer, whether its something they thought of or not. I want to cover everything with a client. So I feel this generation has made become a better listener and sales person so in that way I am grateful. There is always new competition but with the vast experience and knowledge that I have in the wedding gown industry and sticking true to the vision I have, I feel that has separated me from other bridal salons in the area.
Please tell us about M bride.
M bride specializes in designer wedding gowns. We are the only ones in San Diego who carries Ines di Santo, Reem Acra, Monique Lhuillier, Bliss, and Sachin and Babi. Some people have referred to me as “The Dress Whisperer.”
With my vast experience and knowledge, sometimes I can just pull a dress that not even the client knew what they were looking for and they just fell in love. That is the greatest feeling for me. I LOVE IT. I never get tired of it. It makes me so happy that they are happy. I also am incredibly honest. I don’t care how beautiful a bride is or how great of a figure they have, not everything is meant for their body or personality. It is just a fact.
My clients are intelligent and professional women. They don’t want someone pandering to them, they want honesty. They know what looks good and what doesn’t. I can tell immediately If I don’t like something on a bride. If it doesn’t look good, I tell them why it doesn’t and we move on. My clients are a reflection of me, so if they don’t look, I don’t look good.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Oh gosh, this is a hard one, there are so many great ones but probably was when I went to see Chorus Line is 1982 to with my Nonie. My mother always got us tickets to see plays and musicals together. She was a New York City Rockette back in the day and loved seeing live theater. During the show, there were some racy numbers for that time and I was 10 years old at the time.
My Nonie was dying and said, “Shelly (my nickname) do not tell your mother about these songs” She was so red and so embarrassed. She kept putting her hand over her face and shaking her head while chuckling at the same time. We laughed so hard. When they revived Chorus Line on Broadway in the late 2000’s, I got tickets right away From the first moment the actors stepped out onto the stage, tears flowed down my cheeks in reminiscent of this time with my Nonie. She was the best!!!
Pricing:
- Gowns start at 1800.00 and go up
- I have the ability to do total custom with a few of the designers I work with and this starts around $8000
Contact Info:
- Address: 702 Pearl St. Ste H La Jolla, CA 92037
- Website: www.mbridesalon.com
- Phone: 858-551-1718
- Email: contact through the website
- Instagram: mbride
- Facebook: M bride
- Yelp: M bride
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
