Walk into Lu Roo & Co on South Market Street and you find cardigans, jeans, jewelry and graphic tees. The gowns are the older business under the same address. Bridal Dreams, the family's bridal and prom store, shares the building and the phone line, and its page on the Lu Roo site describes three levels of dresses for every occasion, with more than 1,000 dresses in stock.
For prom shoppers in Mahaska County and the towns around it, that is the part worth knowing. The clothing boutique is the newer addition. The gown business came first, and the family built the boutique on top of it.
A family name, spelled out
The About page explains the name one syllable at a time. Lu was Lugene, the family matriarch, who was always dressed to the nines and did not live to see the boutique open. Co is Colette, her daughter, who worked tirelessly to establish the bridal and prom stores. Roo is Stephani, Colette's daughter, whose childhood nickname came from her dad; she later shared her dream of a clothing boutique with her mom, and the family made it happen. Three generations, one storefront.
That order matters to a prom family: the gown levels are the foundation of this business, not a sideline.
What the prom side offers
The Bridal Dreams page names its prom labels directly. In the store's spelling, they are Mori Lee, Jovani, Portia & Scarlet, Amara, Clarisse and Primavera, along with others. On this site those labels match the Morilee, Jovani, Portia & Scarlett, Amarra, Clarisse and Primavera pages.
- Appointments: the bridal and prom store is by appointment only, so call the shop to schedule a time.
- Layaway: the page says layaway is available, which lets a gown be paid down over the months before the dance.
- Selection: more than 1,000 dresses across three levels, covering prom, bridal and other formal occasions.
The appointment rule is the main thing to plan around. The clothing boutique keeps regular store hours, but the gown levels run on scheduled visits, so plan on a phone call before the trip.
The boutique half of the building earns its place on prom day too. Lu Roo & Co sells jewelry, purses and shoes alongside its everyday clothes, so earrings or a small bag for the night can be picked up without another stop, and items from its online shop can be set aside for local pickup. Brides use the same gown levels, with bridal lines such as Allure, Mori Lee and Jasmine.
Oskaloosa High School is the hometown school, and the shop also sits within reach of Pella, Knoxville, North Mahaska in New Sharon and Ottumwa, which puts a good share of south-central Iowa within an afternoon's trip of the Mahaska County seat.
The family describes the whole operation in a single line on the Bridal Dreams page.
We offer big city selection with small town service and love helping our customers find the dress of their dreams!
Bridal Dreams prom questions in Oskaloosa
Is Bridal Dreams the same business as Lu Roo & Co?
Yes. Bridal Dreams is the family's bridal and prom store at the same South Market Street address, and it is listed on the Lu Roo & Co website.
Can I walk in to try on prom dresses?
The gown side is appointment only. Call the shop to book a time on the gown levels.