‘We just keep looking up.’ Bella Rose to celebrate 40 years of operation in Lexington

In 1980, Betty Spain founded Bella Rose, a boutique in Lexington. Now Spain is celebrating 40 years of business with a celebration on Saturday, June 13.

Spain said her mission with Bella Rose is a to “cheer up women” and provide a service to women of all ages in Lexington.

“We have a 14-year-old going into a cotillion, and then we are blessed to have her mother who’s a customer as well and then her grandmother so we really can be of service to three generations of customer base, which is really quite unusual,” Spain said.

Spain said the biggest challenge over the years has been “riding the wave of the economy.” However, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Spain said there have been new challenges Bella Rose has had to work around.

“Its been extremely difficult,” Spain said. “In my lifetime I would never dreamed that we will be walking through something like this, and I just pray for healing.”

In the weeks since the pandemic took hold, Bella Rose has been doing online sales, curbside pickup and has been delivering orders to local customers. Spain said even though Kentucky businesses are reopening, it’s proven hard to go back to normal.

“We just keep looking up,” Spain said. “It’s hard to target to get back to our normal flow with the limitations that we’ve been under, but things are starting to loosen up.”

Spain said the celebration on Saturday will feature champagne, sparkling rose and a 40% discount on everything in the store.

“It’s just our way of giving back to this community for supporting Bella Rose for 40 years,” Spain said.

In addition to operating Bella Rose, Spain has spent the last four decades giving back through different charities and community organizations, including the Lexington Philharmonic, who hosts an annual fundraiser and fashion show. Spain said the fashion show features between 40 and 60 Bella Rose outfits, and has models ranging in age from 15 to 75.

“We like to show the audience a variety,” Spain said.

Doris King Shepherd, the chair of the fashion show fundraiser for the Lexington Philharmonic Guild, said for the 15 years she has chaired the event, Spain and Bella Rose have been involved for almost all of those years.

“I always knew I could count on her,” Shepherd said. “Everybody from her shop who worked with us are always just wonderful to work with.”

Shepherd said Spain is also a member of the Philharmonic Guild, and said Spain is the “bedrock” of the Guild’s fashion show fundraiser.

“She and I work very closely together and I can always count on her and her wonderful store,” Shepherd said.

This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 2:42 PM.