Champagne toasts and celebration are not the norm in current COVID business operations, but both were prominent at a recent event for staff at á la mode intimates in the Annapolis Town Center.
After 5 months of working on business procedures in a pandemic, Patti Platt learned her boutique was again nominated for the Best of Intima. This award, which á la mode won in 2018, is a recognition of excellence for independent lingerie retailers in North America. On the evening of the Zoom-cast award ceremony, the small staff gathered in masks and glam at the boutique to watch the proceedings. At evening’s end, the award went to a fellow retailer, but Platt reflected on feeling victorious.
“We are extremely fortunate,” said Platt. “We’ve stayed open through the pandemic thanks to the support of our customers. We received national industry recognition thanks to the hard work of our staff. And this month, we are marking 17 years in business.”
When the COVID-19 closures began in mid-March, á la mode intimates temporarily shuttered their Annapolis and Fells Point locations, pivoting to online orders, utilizing their existing shopping-cart website. Recognizing the importance of community, they also ran the á la mode Comfort Project, an initiative that provided gift bags filled with pajamas, robes and other items to health care workers on the pandemic front lines at Baltimore Washington Medical Center, University of Maryland Midtown Emergency and Johns Hopkins Pediatric Emergency.
After a gradual opening following county and city guidelines, the Annapolis location resumed 7-day-a-week operations this month. On August 21, á la mode intimates will launch a week-long 17th anniversary sales celebration in both their Annapolis Town Center and Fells Point boutiques.
“This is the most challenging time for small business I’ve ever seen. We’ve had to learn new ways of operating because of COVID,” said Platt. “Customers expect personal connection and top-notch service even at a social distance. I think we are coming out stronger with this experience.”
à la mode intimates is a locally owned lingerie business with boutiques in Annapolis (Annapolis Towne Centre) and Fells Point (724 South Broadway). They offer free bra fittings and a wide range of bra sizes, from A to O cup and band sizes from 28 to 44. For more information, visit www.alamodeintimates.com
We spoke with à la mode intimates for or Legacy Business Spotlight last year. Have a listen!
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