Mara

A walk-in prom shop next door to the bridal suites

Homecoming and prom dress shopping is walk-in only.

Mara's FAQ answers the first question most families have in one line, and the way the business is laid out follows from it. The business runs two doors on the same block of North Main Street in downtown Charles City.

Prom shoppers come in on a first-come, first-served basis during regular store hours, no booking needed.

For anyone who wants more structure, the online booking page also offers a prom dress appointment: up to 90 minutes in a private fitting room with a stylist. It is an option, not a requirement. A separate pick-up appointment exists for special-ordered prom gowns once the shop confirms the dress has arrived.

Owner Tiffany Rottinghaus opened Mara in November 2017, according to the Charles City Press, in a house on Kelly Street that she and her husband turned into a boutique. Her About page explains the name: nearly every key woman in her family has a name starting with "Mar," from Margaret to Mary Jo. Before Mara, she spent a decade in formalwear retail and wholesale, working with bridal stores across the Midwest. In 2024 the shop moved to its current home on Main Street. KIMT reported that the move took Mara from about 1,400 square feet to nearly 5,000, and that prom was the first department Rottinghaus added as the business grew.

What hangs on the prom racks

Mara's prom designer page lists four labels, and all four have a long track record with prom shoppers:

Jovani

A New York label known for fitted, embellished prom and evening gowns.

Dave & Johnny

The label that fills the first page of Mara's online prom collection, style number after style number.

Alyce Paris

A Chicago-based prom line with a wide spread of silhouettes and colors.

Ava Presley

The fourth name on the list, and one of the filters in the online prom catalog.

Price and size are spelled out too. Prom dresses run from $199 to $899, and the samples on the floor range from size 00 to 26. The online filters go down to 000 and include a plus-size option, so it pays to check what is in stock before a long drive. There is also a sale prom section, and a homecoming collection for fall.

One seasonal detail catches people off guard. The prom collection goes into storage from June through October. Anyone shopping for a summer formal or an early-fall event is asked to phone the store about options during those months. From November on, the racks fill back up for the winter and spring rush.

Tuxedos, steaming and fittings

Mara handles the date's side of prom as well, and says no one has more selection, more colors or more styles.

The steaming service covers prom dresses along with bridal gowns, which helps when a gown has been folded in a garment bag since March. Alterations are a different story. Mara does not alter gowns inside the boutique; it partners with several local seamstresses and lists them on its services page, so plan on a separate stop for hemming. Bridal fills the other storefront, with nearly 200 wedding gown samples.

The shop's reach is regional. Charles City High School is the hometown school, and the drive is manageable for families from Osage, New Hampton and Nashua-Plainfield high schools, or from Mason City High School to the west. Mara has also been honored with America's SBDC Iowa Business of the Month award, which the Charles City Press credited to its "big city style and selection and small town charm and service." For the larger northeast Iowa picture, Mara means a prom gown and a prom tux can be sorted out on the same block of Main Street.

Mara Prom questions from Floyd County

Which Mara storefront sells prom dresses?

Mara Prom, the North Main storefront shared with Cardigan. Bridal, mothers' gowns and tuxedo bookings are next door in the bridal store, and one phone number reaches both.

Can I shop for prom at Mara in the summer?

The prom collection is stored from June through October. Mara asks summer shoppers to call the store to learn what shopping options are available.