From hems to a Broad Street storefront
Tennile Martin learned clothes from the inside out. Her grandmother was a seamstress who made garments by hand, and in 2015 Martin started taking in alterations around Summersville because the town needed someone who could. WV Living, which profiled her in its Fall 2025 issue, describes how that work built her a following and, with it, the idea for a shop of her own.
She opened Tennile's Boutique and Formals on Broad Street in 2019. The reason was prom. Girls who came to her for fittings kept saying they wanted to buy their dresses in town, and she decided to give them a place to do it. The magazine quotes her on that decision, and the line is at the bottom of this page.
The alterations never left.
That changes the math on a prom budget, because the hem, the straps and the bodice can all be sorted out without a second errand.
What hangs in the formal room
WV Living names Jovani, Alyce Paris and Rachel Allan among the formal designers on the floor, "and more." Those three cover a wide spread of prom looks. Jovani brings the dramatic, red-carpet end, Alyce Paris tends toward bold color and fitted shapes, and Rachel Allan is known for beadwork and sparkle. A shopper trying on her first long gown can learn quickly which silhouette works when all three hang in one room.
Outside prom season, other stock keeps the shop busy, but in a county where every spring brings a fresh run of proms, the formal racks are the center of the store.
Everyday wear
Judy Blue and Risen jeans, plus men's wear
West Virginia goods
West Virginia-themed merchandise and locally made goods
Custom work
From personalized cowgirl hats to one-of-a-kind wedding gowns
Bridal
Lillian West and Christina Wu
The store's website currently shows an "opening soon" page, so a visit to Broad Street or a look at its Facebook page is the way to see new arrivals.
Proms in Nicholas County and beyond
Summersville is the Nicholas County seat, set on U.S. 19 in the middle of central West Virginia, and that four-lane road ties the town to the county's outlying communities. Nicholas County High School in Summersville is the biggest prom on the calendar. Richwood High School sends shoppers in from the east, Midland Trail High School in Hico is down U.S. 19 to the south, and Webster County High School and Braxton County High School families make the trip from the north and east. In summer, the same road fills with visitors headed to Summersville Lake, but from January through spring it is mostly families coming to town for dresses.
Homecoming in the fall and winter formals bring a second wave of shoppers, and the same fitting room handles those gowns as well. A dress bought for one dance can come back for a small adjustment before the next.
WV Living's profile lets Martin explain why the store exists at all.
“Many girls told me they wanted a local shop where they could buy prom dresses,” Martin recalls. “I made it my mission to listen and deliver exactly what my customers were looking for.”
Tennile's in Summersville, answered
Can Tennile's alter a prom dress I buy there?
Yes. Alterations are done on site, and the owner, who started the business as a seamstress in 2015, handles fittings in the store.
What else does the boutique sell besides formal gowns?
Judy Blue and Risen denim, men's wear, West Virginia-themed gifts and locally made items, plus custom pieces.