Prom season number eight on Providence Highway
Families who first met this store as The Ultimate Too, the prom shop on the Dedham stretch of Providence Highway, now find it farther south on Route 1 at The Link at Walpole Mall, the property long known as the Walpole Mall. The business behind it is the same one that Frances Merlino started in her Revere basement in 1969. What changed is the scope. Walpole is now a full location of The Ultimate, open most of the week and carrying evening, social occasion and quinceañera dresses alongside the prom racks. The owners announced the 2026 prom season with obvious enthusiasm.
And yes, Prom will be coming to Walpole for our 8th exciting season – with all of the latest trending styles for 2026!
Eight seasons means this store has been dressing juniors and seniors south of Boston since 2019. That is long enough for younger sisters from Walpole High School and Norwood High School to be shopping the same racks their older sisters did.
The Walpole page is candid about size. The owners say it is not as large as the Peabody store, but that shoppers will find many of the same designers. For prom, the list posted for this location looks like a condensed version of the flagship's: Jovani, Sherri Hill, Morilee, Portia and Scarlett, La Femme, Faviana, Colette by Daphne, Ellie Wilde, La Divine by Cinderella Divine, Ashley Lauren, Jasz Couture, Alyce Paris, Ava Presley, Amarra, Jessica Angel and Johnathan Kayne, with Sydney's Closet, Starielle, Atria, Cecilia Couture and Miah Vega filling in. Terani shows up on the social occasion side.
If a particular style is not on the floor here, the Walpole team will check availability and special orders. Anyone who wants the full 20,000-dress inventory can make the drive to the Peabody flagship on Route 1; for most families in Norfolk County, the Walpole racks are the closer place to start.
How each kind of shopping works in Walpole
The rules here are set by category, and they are simple. Prom never needs a booking.
- Prom and homecoming
- Walk in; no appointments are taken
- Social occasion, evening, wedding guest
- Walk in
- Quinceañera gowns
- Appointment, booked online or by phone
- Bridal gowns
- Appointment with a card on file; private bridal visits run Mondays and Tuesdays
The company-wide policies carry over from Peabody. Sales consultants do not work on commission. There is a free layaway plan that holds a dress for two months. Dresses are new from the manufacturer and can go home the same day. Every sale is final, with no returns or exchanges, so take your time in the fitting room and bring whoever's opinion you trust.
The trade area is wide for a mall store. Walpole High School is the obvious neighbor, and Norwood High School, Westwood High School and Dedham High School are all to the north. Sharon High School and Canton High School sit to the east, Foxborough High School and Franklin High School to the south and west, and King Philip Regional High School draws from Wrentham, Norfolk and Plainville. For all of them, this location cuts the trip to the North Shore out of the prom search.
The Ultimate’s FAQ points to weekdays as the less busy time to shop. This store keeps Mondays and Tuesdays for private bridal appointments, so plan a prom visit for later in the week or the weekend. Seasonal hours shift in spring, and the company posts updates for each location before the rush begins.
For families comparing options across Norfolk County and southeastern Massachusetts, the appeal of this store is plain: the same family, the same labels and the same no-commission floor as Peabody, at the south end of the metro.
Walpole store questions
Is The Ultimate Walpole the same store that used to be in Dedham?
It is the same business and the same phone line. The Ultimate's southern location now operates at The Link at Walpole Mall on Route 1 in East Walpole.
Can I hold a prom dress at Walpole and pay later?
Yes. The Ultimate's free layaway plan gives you two months to pay off a dress. All sales are final once the dress is yours.