EAST LONGMEADOW — For many women, finding a well-fitting bra or swimsuit can be challenging, at best. For decades, Gazebo, the bra and swimsuit fitting store, has worked to make the experience easier.
Founded in 1978 by Judith Fine, the store located in Northampton has been doing bra fitting since the early 1990s. Although some department stores used to do bra fittings, most stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic and those fittings didn’t encompass as many details as those at Gazebo said Donna McNeight, co-owner of the business.
In February, the business added a new location in East Longmeadow to expand its reach in Western Massachusetts.
“Ever since Amy (Dickinson) and I bought the business in 2016, it seemed natural that our goal would be to open a second location,” said McNeight, who will be running the East Longmeadow location. “Continuity from our Northampton store and maintaining that same level of service and knowledge were very important to us.”
The new location at 192 N. Main St. will offer the same services and brands of bras, swimwear and binders at the original location. With products from over 25 companies, the stores have more than 200 sizes in stock and cup sizes from AA to O. The new location will also carry several high-end brands that had significant supply issues during the height of the pandemic.
“We deal with women every day who don’t know their real size and who don’t even know those sizes exist,” said McNeight. “It’s a real need and a real service that we do.”
McNeight credits former manager Emma Dostal for training all of the store’s workers. Dostal, who retired during the pandemic, is described as “the Bra Goddess” on the store’s website.
McNeight explained that the process for a customer begins with an initial fitting for size and a conversation to find out what their goals are in terms of how they want to look. McNeight and her staff also take into account a person’s frame and the shape of the breast to find the best fit.
“They know what they want to see in the mirror. We talk to you and find out what works for you,” explained McNeight. “We take all of these things into account, all things that a tape measure doesn’t account for.”
Due to their years of experience, McNeight and her staff at Gazebo Too know which brands work better on what body frames and sizes. Of the brands the store carries, some work better with slimmer body frames or larger body frames, or a certain cup size or band size, or a certain combination of the two.
“We know that they make the best ones for these sizes,” said McNeight. “There are so many options and so much depends on the frame or body shape. We know how the brands fit, so we know what works for different needs.”
The staff member will also stay with customers as they try on different brands to hear what they like and don’t like, to offer suggestions and to make sure the customer is happy with their purchase.
In addition to prom and wedding season, Gazebo Too is gearing up for swimsuit season. McNeight and Dickinson added swimwear when they bought the business and have seen that finding the perfect swimsuit is just as important as finding the perfect bra.
“When you put on a real well-made swimsuit it makes all the difference in the world,” said McNeight.
Gazebo Too is open Tuesday through Sunday. The original store is located at 14 Center St. in Northampton. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended and can be made on the business’s website: the-gazebo.com.
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