EIGHT YEARS OF BELLISSIMO: Our story of navigating small business ownership and dance retail

Before my mom and her dear friend Kelley opened Bellissimo eight years ago, I was unaware of the vulnerability and courage required of opening a small business. We spent countless late nights at our new space–only 800 square feet–painting, drilling, unboxing, and having no idea if any of the merchandise we carefully hung and organized would ever leave the rack. Between rent, build-out, branding, and stocking the store, my mom, Patrice, and Kelley invested a frightening amount of money into a dream they believed to be a good idea, unsure if it could become a reality. 

A week after opening, our racks were bare, nearly wiped clean by the incredible Nashville dance community; Kelley was frantically placing new orders with our vendors for overnight shipping. Even though Patrice and Kelley felt in over their heads, they knew their vision could become something greater than they ever imagined. 

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Dance was my life in middle school; when I wasn’t in dance class, I was watching dance YouTube and TV shows or hanging out with my dance friends. Fashion was a huge part of this world, but my mom was dismayed that the only option for purchasing cute dance clothes was online; dance wear is so specific to each body and brand that trying clothes on and feeling the material is integral to feeling both beautiful and comfortable. Thus, the idea for a boutique specifically for dancers, carrying all the basics and essentials while focusing on fashion, began to bloom. 

Kelley’s background was in nursing, and Patrice had a degree in human development and family studies. They were an unlikely entrepreneurial duo. However, they tackled these challenges head-on, attending markets, learning tax codes and licensing, meeting vendors, and having conversations with teachers, studio owners, and dancers about their needs. Their hope of empowering dancers to feel confident inside and out, from the studio to the stage, came with a massive legal and financial headache, which they would both now tell you was worth it. 

After opening the doors of their first location on Cool Springs Boulevard, nestled between an oil change center and dry cleaner, many parents came in and remarked, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Little compared, though, to getting to see the joy on dancers’ faces when they walked in for the first time. Mom would come home from work glowing from getting to meet customers and help them find outfits that made them feel truly beautiful. 

This business is a never-ending learning process, but the first year or two certainly came with their own curves. We kept a notebook to write every customer’s request; if we didn’t already carry it, we would see if we could find it. Kelley and Patrice assembled a team of high schoolers to review their potential orders for style and trendiness. Before too long, they even hired their first employee! 

The 800 square-foot Cool Springs Boulevard location ran out of space about as quickly as the racks emptied. When the 3-year lease ended, Bellissimo needed a bigger home, which we soon found just five minutes away. This move did not merely bring twice as much space to fill with leggings and leotards. Our brave owners also decided to tackle the world of pointe. 

Just when they started to be on top of tights and shoes orders, pointe entailed a beast of inventory and training. Dance retailer friends from across the country mentored Patrice and Kelley through this transition, and our Bellissimo team could not be more thankful for their wisdom. This network of dance stores is not just one of continued friendship but also absolute vitality as we entered the trenches of COVID-19-induced shortages together. 

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Before 2020, we steadily assembled a small team of expert pointe fitters who received training from our most popular pointe shoe brands, as well as other store owners who are experts in the pointe industry. Bellissimo has taken pointe seriously since before we even offered it, knowing that the fit of your shoe does not just affect your craft but also the health of your body. Each dancer fitted for pointe at Bellissimo receives a profile page with their pointe history and notes about their feet and fit from their appointment. We provide each dancer with a thorough lesson on the mechanics of the pointe shoe as well as how to properly care for them. We don’t sell a dancer a pointe shoe unless it fits their foot. 

Troubles arose when brands halted production during the global pandemic shutdown. Like furniture and cars, dance supplies were on backorder. However, dancing continued, and our customers needed shoes and tights.  

Our dance store network launched into action. While we may have been out of a Suffolk Status Medium Shank in 6XXN, for example, our friends in Massachusetts had a pair that they shipped right away. When our friends in Chicago had a dancer needing Nikolay Dreampointe Medium in 7XXXX but none in stock, we were able to send them one of our pairs. While pointe shortages still occur due to the war between Ukraine and Russia, we are so thankful the intense shoe shortages from the Covid-19 pandemic have subsided, and we will never forget the sense of community we experienced during that unideal time.

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Like we had just a couple years before, we once again ran out of space at our new, Bellissimo 2.0 storefront. 2023 brought the biggest leap yet: Bellissimo 3.0, four times the size of the original space. With three dressing rooms, a storeroom with space to grow, a dedicated office, a staff break room, and even a small dance studio, this change is equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking–if eight years brought so much change, what do the next eight have in store?  

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I am so proud of what Kelley and my mom created. Not only have they established a successful business, turning a profit within their very first year, but they have provided the extensive Nashville dance community with a point of unity. Fashion shows, photoshoots, grand openings, and even a community-wide dance video have provided opportunities for dancers from Hendersonville to Spring Hill, from competition studios to ballet companies, to come together in celebration of the sport and art of which we share love.