Marrying convenience Dress shop and salon, spa offer brides one stop

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Nov 9, 2004 by Brandy Nance Capital-Journal

SHARED SPACE

MIKE SHEPHERD/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Angie Specht owns the formal-wear consignment store Again Gowns and Angie's Total Body Spa, both at 5840 S.W. Huntoon.

AGAIN GOWNS

ANGIE'S TOTAL BODY SPA

Owner: Angie Specht

Address: 5840 S.W. Huntoon

Again Gowns hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and by appointment

Again Gowns phone: (785) 228-0773

Spa hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday- Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and by appointment

Spa phone: (785) 228-0772

By Brandy Nance

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Two new Topeka businesses have merged the sale of discount wedding gowns and formal wear with a salon and day spa.

Angie Specht opened Again Gowns on Sept. 1 and Angie's Total Body Spa on Oct. 1 at 5840 S.W. Huntoon. Again Gowns offers wedding gowns and formal wear on consignment.

Wedding gowns range from $99 to $500 and prom and bridesmaid dresses range from $25 to $50, Specht said. The shop also has accessories, such as shoes, veils, hairpieces, purses and earrings, and carries children's formal wear, such as flower girl dresses and junior bridesmaid dresses.

"I know you can get wedding gowns from $99 anywhere," Specht said. "But you can't get a $500 gown for $99."

All items that come into Again Gowns are sold on consignment. Sellers get 60 percent of the sale from wedding gowns and 50 percent from all other dresses. The store contains the latest styles, from beaded dresses to vintage dresses, Specht said, and about half of the inventory is new, with the tags still on the dresses.

Next door is Angie's Total Body Spa, which goes hand in hand with the gown business, offering wedding-day hairstyling, bachelorette parties and wedding practice hairstyles.

But the salon isn't just for the bride. Among other services are massages, couples massages, hot stone massages, haircuts, perms, hair color and color correction, manicures, pedicures and facials.

Angie's Total Body Spa also offers a steam canopy, a steam tent that fits over a massage table that can be used with aromatherapy. It can be used for stress relief, body wraps and temporary weight loss.

Specht has been in the hair business for 30 years, owning her first salon at age 18, she said. She decided to open up Again Gowns after she was shopping with her future daughter-in-law at consignment stores in Oklahoma City. Three years later, she decided to bring the concept to Topeka.

"I thought it was something the public needed, especially with how expensive weddings are," she said.

Specht said her customer service sets her business apart.

"The customer is always No. 1," she said. "From the moment they walk in we try to pamper our guest."

Brandy Nance can be reached at (785) 295-1187 or brandy.nance@cjonline.com.