Charlotte Bushman was a pioneer among women entrepreneurs, and today Charlotte’s Bridal continues her trendsetting tradition. It was 1948 when she began Charlotte’s Hat Shoppe in her home after investing $500 into a supply of Easter hats, just in time for the holiday. Her home business grew to be Charlotte’s Bridal Shoppe in 1953 with a modest selection of six bridesmaids dresses and five wedding gowns. It may not have seemed like much, but it made history. Hers was the first bridal salon ever opened in a woman’s own home, a story told across the country in Women’s Wear Daily.

In 2004 Charlotte’s was sold to Walker’s Formal Wear. At that time revamping took place. New lines were brought into the store and the inventory updated. Charlotte’s relocated to the Copeland Avenue location in July 2007 after spending more than 50 years in the Rose Street location. A bowling alley was in the Copeland Avenue location before Charlotte’s.

In April 2009, a fire broke out. Gail force winds ripped roofing that tangled in a power line and then caught fire. It took firefighters five hours to put out the flames. All of the sold dresses in the back storage area were safe and remained untouched from smoke and fire. More renovations took place at this time to make Charlotte’s what it is today.

For over 70 years Charlotte’s Bridal has offered a wedding gown shopping experience like no other. Intimate, individualized attention from our stylists paired with our extensive collection of unique gowns ensures your perfect “I Said Yes!” moment in a relaxed and fun environment—We want you and your guests to feel special, pampered, and part of our family! Charlotte’s customer base comes from the entire Wisconsin area along with surrounding states! Come to Charlotte’s to see why our store is becoming the fastest growing bridal and formal wear store in the Midwest.