Bella Ro Boutique Opens in Downtown Summit

A women's boutique marks its arrival to the downtown district with bright pink balloons and signs announcing its grand opening event.

Inside, shoppers were not only met with an array of dresses, tops, bottoms, shoes, and jewelry, but a spread of candy and cocktails, including owner Vanessa Romond's own "Piña Bella."

Bella Ro, launched in December 2007 and first appearing on Washington Street in Hoboken, opened its doors to shoppers in Summit on June 17, offering 10 percent off all purchases and a free gift with any $50 purchase.

Real estate manager Beth Welsh, of Basset Associates, has been a lifelong resident of Summit and has "a long history of knowing what makes this town so great," which is why she recruited Romond to open a second branch in downtown Summit.

"Most women have a lot of different looks in their closet," Welsh said.  "That's the magic about Summit: so many people have their foot in so many different worlds, and that creates a sense of diversity.  A woman could be at a PTA meeting one night and at a party in SoHo another night."

Her goal she said is to show adult woman they don't need to buy their clothes at the mall.

"(Romond) buys very limited quantities, and when it's sold, it's gone," Welsh said.  "When you want that more unique, personal style, and when everybody's watching what they're spending, isn't it nice to spend your money in a way that whole process is great, not just getting something you like?"

And customers seem to agree.

"I feel like I'm in a New York store, like in SoHo," Beth Regan, a resident of Morristown and a mother of two, said at the grand opening.  "I love going into the city a lot, and this (store) has that kind of feel."

Regan said that the store employees were very helpful and service-oriented, and added that she bought a "beautiful" sundress and a "gorgeous" beaded top. She also said she plans tobe a regular customer at Bella Ro.

"I really love the look, the trend, and the prices are awesome," Christina Cavadas, a resident of Union who works in Summit, said at the grand opening event.

Cavadas said she bought three dresses the day before, and at the event, she bought another dress, three tops, and a necklace.

"I'll definitely be back," she said.

Welsh said the reason a store such as Bella Ro will be successful in Summit it because unlike chain stores the items shoppers will find there are unique to the store.

"The people who run them (owner-operated businesses) know their customers and they shop for their customers, and they know what sells," she said.  "The buyers for Bloomingdales don't know their customers."

Welsh added that Summit merchants themselves work together and collaborate to serve their customers, pointing out that the Summit Sampler provided the bar at Bella Ro's opening.

"By supporting our downtown, we're keeping the human touch alive," Welsh said.  "It's great to be able to show our children that kind of thing, too: having a human element and not having life—or at least shopping, in this case—be on a computer."