Before it held prom gowns, the building on West Yoakum Avenue served ice cream. Co-owner Kim Kluesner told the Southeast Missourian in 2016 that it had been an ice cream and soda shop in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, and that she and Jodie Schott had worked to preserve it. The two friends opened J Marie’s Formal Affairs in downtown Chaffee in 2015. Schott already ran the flower shop beside it, J Marie’s Flowers and Boutique, and years of decorating weddings together convinced them a dress store would work in town.
That 2016 profile also caught the tone the owners wanted on the sales floor.
We tell the girls who shop here, 'Don't buy the dress if it's not the dress for you.' We want them to walk out of here loving every inch of how they look in the dress they chose.
How prom shopping works on Yoakum Avenue
The boutique offers couture-inspired gowns, from sparkling ballgowns to sleek silhouettes, with stylists on hand to help each girl narrow the field. It names five designers.
The racks are only the starting point. J Marie’s can order any item listed on those suppliers’ websites. Good to know for the budget: prom, pageant and homecoming orders are paid in full when the dress is ordered, rather than split into a deposit and a balance the way a bridal gown can be.
In the 2016 interview, the owners described a prom selection drawn from nearly a dozen companies, and Kluesner said that to her knowledge the shop was the only one in the area carrying Primavera Couture prom dresses at the time. The lineup has shifted over the years.
Alterations
Handled inside the boutique, for J Marie’s clients only, with fees separate from the price of the dress.
Sales
Every sale is final, with no refunds, cancellations or exchanges.
Payment
Cash, in-state checks and cards, with a 4 percent fee on card payments.
Chaffee and the schools around it
Chaffee sits in the Scott County corner of southeast Missouri. Nearby high schools include Scott City High School, Kelly High School in Benton, Jackson High School and Cape Girardeau Central High School. Kluesner told the Southeast Missourian that shoppers had come from more than two hours away in Illinois, as well as from the St. Louis area.
The shop carries more than gowns.
Suits and tuxedos
Rentals from Kenneth Cole, Allure Men, Ike Behar, Michael Kors and Mark of Distinction, measured by staff and ordered with a $50 deposit, and the groom's tux is free with five adult rentals
Jewelry and shoes
Stocked to go with the gowns, according to the same profile
Allure, Justin Alexander and Madison James in the bridal suite
Wedding gowns are shown by appointment only, in a reserved bridal suite, kept for the bride and her guests for the whole visit, where a stylist brings out a hand-picked set of gowns. The bridal designers the store names are Allure Bridal, Allure Couture, Madison James, Justin Alexander and Mori Lee.
Set aside 90 minutes for the appointment. The shop asks for no more than six guests, children are not allowed, and only clear drinks and no food are permitted. Sample gowns are mostly sizes 8 to 18, and stylists use clips to show the fit. The shop suggests buying 9 to 12 months before the wedding. Some designers take rush orders for a fee, and select gowns can be bought off the rack. Special orders need a 60 percent payment at purchase, which is non-refundable, and every gown will need alterations, priced separately.
J Marie’s prom questions, answered
Can the shop order a prom dress I found on a designer’s website?
Yes. J Marie’s can order any item listed on its suppliers’ websites. Prom, pageant and homecoming orders are paid in full when the order is placed.
Can I get my prom dress altered at J Marie’s?
Yes, if you bought it there. Alterations are done in the boutique for J Marie’s clients only, and the cost is not included in the dress price.