Jan Laskey bought Macon bridal shop year after it moved from Ingleside

Jan Laskey is the owner of Ingleside Bridals & Formals, 2960 Vineville Ave., Macon, 741-1287. Hours: 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

How long have you been in business?: “I’ve had the store 12 and a half years. I bought it from the original owner who had it for 18 years on Ingleside (Avenue). She had moved it over here a year before I bought it.”

Laskey was working for Lamar Advertising Co. and called on the previous shop owner. “She didn’t want to buy advertising because she was thinking about selling the business. ... At the time I was in the process of thinking about either opening or purchasing a business — changing careers. In the conversation, I mentioned that to her. About two or three months later she called and asked me if I was serious. It took another month or so to get everything ironed out.

“She worked for me for awhile. I had never done this before. I had a marketing degree but I didn’t know about running a business day to day. ... She taught me everything and showed me how to do everything.”

What do you like best about your job?: “Probably that you are dealing with people at the happiness point of their lives. You are having an event, a wedding, a prom, or you are involved with someone else who’s having one of those things. … We do have ‘bridezillas,’ … but most of the time you are outfitting them for some sort of milestone in their life. That part I really like. And the servicing end of the business, that’s my cup of tea.

“We get people who come in four or five times before they buy a dress. … People bring their babies back to see me when they have their children. You form a relationship with them.”

What is your specialty?: Dresses and accessories for weddings from the brides to flower girls, as well as for proms, pageants and other formal occasions. The shop also handles tuxedo rentals. It also offers in-house alterations.

What are your future plans?: “Right now just keep doing what we’re doing. We’ll see what the economy is doing and react to that.”

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Jan Laskey bought Macon bridal shop year after it moved from Ingleside."