Bridal boutique chooses downtown Port for third store

Bon Bon Belle will open its doors in downtown Port Washington on Dec. 27 in the space currently occupied by Mercantile Plaza on Franklin Street.

The bridal boutique will be the third location for the salon, which also has shops in Burlington and Madison.

Bon Bon Belle is an independent bridal boutique with a global following of more than 810,000 fans on TikTok.

The salon chose Port Washington for its newest location because it reflects the shop’s Burlington roots, according to a press release from the company.

Other reasons for its choice include the fact Port is a charming small town with a thriving downtown and strong community spirit, noting the lakefront setting and walkable streets “make it an ideal destination for brides and their families.”

The boutique draws brides from across Wisconsin, 26 other states and other countries in 2024.

“Shopping for a wedding gown should be exciting and memorable,” co-owner Wendy Lynch said. “Our team takes the time to understand each bride’s vision and help her find a gown that feels just right.

“Port Washington’s coastal charm and welcoming spirit make it the perfect place to continue our story.”

Bon Bon Belle is known for creating a shopping experience for brides that is “joyful, welcoming and stress free,” according to the press release.

Each bride is paired with a stylist who has been trained in the boutique’s core values of care, service, process and improvement, it states.

The Port boutique will carry Bon Bon Belle’s exclusive designer collections, including Alyssa James Bridal, which is known for elevated sophistication with abundant details; Callie Rae Bridal, described as romantic, ethereal and whimsical; WREN Bridal, known for clean, modern and effortlessly chic designs; and WSL Bridal Collection, couture-inspired designs with sumptuous fabrics.

In addition to gowns, the shop will also feature an extensive selection of accessories, including veils, jewelry and jackets.

While new to Port Washington, Bon Bon Belle has been around since 2005, when it was known as Christy’s Bridal.

Lynch acquired the boutique in 2013 and “her vision transformed it into Bon Bon Belle.”

In 2017, the Burlington boutique expanded into a larger storefront, and in 2024 Lynch opened the Madison boutique.

While the Port shop won’t open until Dec. 27, brides can reserve appointments starting Oct. 6.

A grand opening is set for Feb. 8.

Bon Bon Belle is taking the space now occupied by Mercantile Plaza, an art gallery and shop and community gathering space that will close on Sept. 14.

Mercantile Plaza has been a cornerstone of downtown Port since 2013, after Julie Christiansen, who owns the shop with her husband Mike, became frustrated seeing the vacant storefront.

The space once occupied by ZuZu Pedals on the first floor of the building “drove me crazy,” she said. “It’s such a beautiful space. It’s kind of like a little centerpiece to downtown.”

She started envisioning what could be done in the space and one day, after the couple stopped at Frankie’s Ice Cream after a bike ride, the idea for Mercantile Plaza started to form.

“I thought, this is so cool. It’s such a nice meeting space,” Christiansen said. “But what are all these people going to do in winter?”

The need to bring in an income to offset the cost led her to combine the idea of a community gathering space with an art store, somewhere people could browse and buy fine art of all types.

While some people were skeptical of the gallery’s chances for survival, Christiansen said it has done well.

The couple’s goal for the business was to break even at three years, and they did that in 18 months, she said.

“It speaks to the quality arts and artists in southeastern Wisconsin. And we’ve proven people here will support it,” she said.

The Christiansens are now retiring, and several of the artists whose pieces were featured at the Plaza are looking to open a similar space elsewhere in downtown Port.

Christiansen said she and her husband always planned to establish the business and hand it over to an artist or group of artists to continue.

“We wanted to make it viable and known and be an anchor for the community, and we’ve done that,” she said.