The name comes from Cleopatra. When the founders opened Golden Asp in 1969, the story of the Egyptian queen and her snake was popular, and the shop itself was a hippie store selling jeans, rocker clothes and, a little oddly, prom dresses. The jeans are long gone. The prom dresses stayed and then took over the building, so there is no bridal salon, no bridesmaid wall and no mother-of-the-bride rack competing for the floor.
That focus has made the shop on Pasqualone Boulevard a fixture for families across lower Bucks County and Northeast Philadelphia, and a name that gets passed down. Golden Asp says it is consistently recognized as the Best Prom Dress Store in the Philadelphia area, and its FAQ adds that customers make the trip from all over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. For shoppers in southeastern Pennsylvania, it is the shop older sisters and cousins tend to name first.
What an all-prom floor holds
100%
of the inventory is dedicated to prom dresses.
That is the store's own figure.
The store's pitch is size and selection. It stocks thousands of dresses, advertises the largest selection of designer prom dresses and gowns in the state, and carries many styles that are exclusive to Golden Asp, some of them made specifically for the store.
- Sizes
- 0 through 24, stocked in the store rather than only available to order.
- Dressing rooms
- The visit page lists 33 of them, which keeps a busy prom-season weekend moving.
- Authenticity
- Golden Asp describes itself as a 100% authentic retailer for every manufacturer it carries and says it does not sell copies.
The designer list is long.
- Amarra
- Ashley Lauren
- Cecilia Couture
- Colette by Daphne
- Dave & Johnny
- Ellie Wilde
- Faviana
- Jadore Evening
- Jasz Couture
- Jessica Angel
- Jovani
- Kate Parker
- Nina Canacci
- Nox Anabel
- Portia and Scarlett
- Primavera Couture
- Sydney's Closet
That spread runs from sleek jersey and satin to heavily beaded ball gowns.
Homecoming, sweet 16, quinceañera and military ball dresses also turn up in the categories, since a long gown or a short cocktail dress works for all of them.
Why the name never changed
When the hippie shop turned into a formalwear store, the owners did think about rebranding. The FAQ tells the rest of that story better than a summary could.
When Golden Asp evolved and began selling only formal wear there was brief consideration of changing the name. This was quickly dismissed because the name Golden Asp is recognized as being synonymous with Prom Dresses in the Philadelphia region.
That recognition shows up in the school list. Bensalem High School is the hometown school, and the store draws just as easily from Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown and the two Council Rock high schools in Newtown and Holland. Across the city line, Northeast Philadelphia schools such as George Washington High School and Northeast High School send shoppers north as well. The store's own location note puts it minutes from I-95, Route 1 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which is why South Jersey families who cross the Delaware for the day are part of the spring mix too.
A visit here is a planned event. Bring whoever gets a vote on the dress, give yourself time to work through the racks, and leave room on the calendar for a fitting elsewhere before the dance.
Golden Asp questions from Bucks County families
Can I stop in without booking first?
The store runs by appointment only, so reserve a time through the booking page before you go.
Will Golden Asp hem my dress?
No. The store does not offer alterations, but it can recommend reputable seamstresses in the Philadelphia area for dresses bought at the shop.