retail profiles // classy // lovely lady lumps

Q&A with Marie Bosconi, owner


Ted Vayos, BODY: Describe your store for our readers.

Marie Bosconi: We are located in Stony Brook, New York. Our location is just minutes away from Smith Haven Mall, one of Long Island’s most popular malls. Our store is in Coventry Commons which is a shopping center in which the retailers range from Vitamin Shoppe to Starbucks to Beach Bum Tanning and Cactus Salon. We chose to open in this location not only because it is located next to such popular and well known stores but because we felt it was a large enough space to accommodate the inventory that we wanted to bring in. We did not just want to solely carry swimsuits. We wanted Lovely Lady Lumps to be a one stop shop for our customers whether they are going to the beach or the pool or on vacation. We carry flip-flops for both women and men, goggles, swim accessories, towels, beach bags and much more so we recognized the advantage of having a large space. In addition, we really wanted our customers to be able to shop comfortably and having more space allows us to display our products in an extremely shoppable way.

Ted: What makes your store special?

Marie Bosconi: What makes our store special is that we are not and will not ever cater to just one body type. We carry items from size 2-32 and from A-Cup to I-Cup and we also intend on expanding those ranges as well. We are a very customer based store which to us is providing the utmost amount of great customer service possible. Our expert stylists work one-on-one with our customers and really get to know them and know exactly what they are looking for. Whether the customer is looking for a swimsuit to camouflage their tummy or minimize their “lovely lady lumps”, we are here to help them feel comfortable and provide them with what they need.

Ted: What do you look for in a brand?

Marie Bosconi: We look for brands whose products are of great quality, are unique and do the job that needs to be done. For example, we want bandeau style tops that a woman will not have to fidget with all day because they feel like it might fall down. Seafolly Australia – which is a fabulous brand – carries a top called the “Goddess top” which is our most popular top in the store right now. The quality and fit are phenomenal – even my DD and DDD Cup women can comfortably wear a bandeau which women with that size bust will know is extremely hard to find. Vix by Paula Hermanny is another brand that we love – it is able to fit an A-Cup woman and give her the bust she wants and its able to fit a DD woman and hold her up and minimize her where she wants. Anita is also one of my favorite brands that really caters to the larger cup women and the fit on the suits are fantastic. Magicsuit is our most popular one piece and tankini brand which right now only carries a few styles in plus size. We would love if they would create more plus sizes which we feel would cater to the other 50% of women with larger cup sizes.

Ted: Describe the popular styles or trends in your store.

Marie Bosconi: As always, bandeaus are extremely popular for women so that they can avoid tan lines but another style that is in right now is fringe and flounce tops. We find that anything unique is something that the customers in our area are really looking for and we provide them with brands such as Beach Bunny and Luli Fama who have designs and suits that are extremely different than other brands you might find elsewhere.

Ted: Describe your price points and size ranges.

Marie Bosconi: Our sizes range from 2-32 and A-Cup to I-Cup but we are working to expand that and get bigger sizes because we see that there is a real demand for it and we truly want every woman to be able to come into our store and find what they are looking for and what they need. Our price points are a reflection of the quality that we carry and the customer service that we provide. Our customer service, we believe is top notch and the brands that we carry match that sentiment. The price points are in the medium to high range but they are products that you will be able to wear for years to come.

Ted: What is your typical or average customer size?

Marie Bosconi: Our average customer size is the average woman. Every woman is different and they all have different body needs. No two women are alike – which is why no matter what size they are – it does not matter – we will find a swimsuit to fit their needs.

Ted: What does the average customer spend per visit?

Marie Bosconi: It really depends on what they are looking for and no matter what we will be able to accommodate them and find what they want and need in their preferred price range.

Ted: Describe your customer.

Marie Bosconi: Our customer base ranges from a young woman coming in with her mother looking for her first bikini to contemporary and misses. We have a small selection of men’s swimsuits as well as kids. We also have our Tutto Bianco collection which is our custom curated “all white swimsuit” collection for not only the bride but for the woman who just loves a white swimsuit.