Interview: Wildflower Intimates

BODY associate publisher Ted Vayos interviewed Grace Grubic, the owner of Wildflower Intimates.

Ted: How many years have you been in this industry? 

Grace: I have seven years of combined experience in bra fitting, starting in 2011.

Ted:  How did you get started in this industry? 

Grace:  I was lucky to grow up learning about bras from an early age. I had my first bra fitting with the indelible Earlene Moore at Saks Fifth Avenue in Austin and never looked back. From that moment I always loved bras, and in high school, I encouraged all of my friends to get properly fitted. It only made sense when I was in college for me to apply to the local boutique for a job as a fitter. I worked at Bella Fine Lingerie & Loungewear in Williamsburg, VA for three years, where I learned the basics of bra fitting and nuances of the lingerie world, and found joy in helping women look and feel great. After college, I worked in the Nordstrom lingerie department with a larger customer base and gained some excellent customer service experience. After Nordstrom, I took a detour and worked as an assistant and event planner for a few years, until I found myself living in New York during the pandemic; not exactly a lot of event planning going on in 2020. As the world started to come out of lock down, I started working at The Rack Shack in Brooklyn. Although I initially viewed this as a temporary position, I soon rekindled my love of lingerie. If you’ve ever met the store’s owner, Laura Henny, you know her love of helping people find beautiful bras and feel great is infectious! She encouraged me to take the idea of opening my own boutique seriously and taught me to see every customer’s beauty and trust my instincts. I moved to Fort Worth in 2022 for my husband’s work and to be closer to family. I started working at Bella Bra Shop in Dallas, but I knew Fort Worth needed its own great bra store! Nicolle Silva at Bella is a great friend and has also been a great resource as I worked to open my own store.

Ted:  When did you open this retail business?  

Grace: We just opened on February 10! So many people from the community came out to support us and stock up on bras and beautiful Valentine’s pieces during our grand opening celebration.

Ted:  Where is your store located?

Grace: We’re on Magnolia Ave. in the Near Southside business district in Fort Worth. The area is a little funky and cool, with a younger, slightly more progressive vibe that fits with my store.

Ted:  Please describe your store to our readers.  

Grace:  I want to delight my customers with a beautiful space as well as fittings and customer service, which inspired the design and layout of the store. Our boutique is a bright and cozy space with exposed brick walls and concrete floors and lots of texture. I want my customers to feel comfortable immediately when they walk in, so I arranged a seating area at the front of the store that evokes a living room atmosphere. On the back wall I installed a beautiful mural that serves as a great conversation piece and draws customers into the store. I always have a candle burning, and have loads of rugs to soften the space. Our inventory is stored in dressers throughout the space, making it easier for me to remain on the floor when I am working alone as I am currently the only employee. We built three spacious fitting rooms with arched doorways, heavy curtains, and plenty of room for customers to get comfortable while trying on our products with a fitter’s assistance.

Ted:  What other retail businesses and services are in your immediate area?

Grace: Magnolia and neighboring South Main are thriving business corridors with plenty of bars, restaurants, and retail. In fact, my brother-in-law owns a record store down the street! It’s one of the most walkable parts of the city - and if you know anything about Texas, you know that walkability is hard to find. We are also adjacent to Fort Worth’s Medical District with lots of doctor’s offices and multiple hospitals.

Ted:  Do you have any competition in the area?

Grace: Nope! Fort Worth is an entirely untapped market for bras and lingerie. We have one Victoria’s Secret and one Soma, but no stores with the size ranges that I offer. People think of Dallas-Fort Worth as one city, when in fact, the DFW Metroplex is the size of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. Although some people commute between the two cities, I believe no one should have to travel to another city for a properly fitted bra — especially when you live in the fastest growing city in the country and the 5th largest city in Texas with nearly a million people. The Metroplex itself is home to nearly 8 million, and only has a handful of bra or lingerie boutiques.

Ted:  Do you have an internet website?

Grace: Yes, www.wildflowerintimates.com

Ted:  What makes your store special?

Grace: My store is a place where anyone can come and be accepted exactly as they are. Our aim is to be inclusive in every way possible including size, race, gender, and sexual orientation. We carry bra sizes 28-54 bands, A-KK (UK) cups, lingerie from XS - 5X, multiple shades of nude, and gender-affirming garments like binders and gender-fluid underwear. We also offer unparalleled,  personalized service.

Ted: What do you look for in a brand?

Grace: Unsurprisingly based on my previous answer, I prioritize inclusivity when choosing a brand. However, the beauty of my boutique is that we carry many different brands, which allows me to fill in gaps where it is needed to maximize the selection for our clients. I also look for value. I want my customers to know that they are getting the best quality and price available. 

Ted:  List some of the key brands that are important to your store. 

Grace: When I decided to open a store I thought, “as long as I carry Panache, I’ll be ok. They make such a diverse range of products that I knew I would be able to serve a huge portion of my customers with their products. Some of the other brands we’re currently focused on are Cosabella, Natori, Skarlett Blue, Elomi, Ewa Michalak, Thistle & Spire, and Only Hearts. 

Ted:  Do you sell lingerie?   

Grace: Yes! We sell lots of different types of lingerie. We have bodysuits, robes, and chemises from Scantilly, Thistle & Spire, Oh!Zuza, Rya Collection, Only Hearts, and silk from Sainted Sisters. We also have a gorgeous collection from Dita Von Teese and are looking to expand our selection of “boudoir-ready” pieces. We rely on CantiqLA for their sexy, inclusive sets. 

Ted:  Do you sell bras?

Grace:  Bras are our bread and butter. So far (one week in) Panache is our top selling brand, followed by Skarlett Blue. We also love Natori, Elomi, Gossard, Dita Von Teese, Ewa Michalak, Goddess, Timpa, Evelyn & Bobbie for wireless bras, and Cosabella for bralettes. With these brands we cover more than 200 bra sizes. Each brand offers something unique from the practical to exceptional. 

Ted:  Do you sell sleepwear?  

Grace:  We sell very little sleepwear as we are mainly focused on bras and lingerie. However, some of our chemises double as practical sleepwear. 

Ted: Do you sell shapewear? 

Grace:  Yes, we sell Body Hush. They have a great size range, and I love their different control levels. In Texas, it is important to have shapewear that is both functional and breathable.

Ted:  Do you sell hosiery?

Grace:  We sell a small selection from Pamela Mann of stockings, hold-ups, and fishnets, and we plan to expand our selection in the future.

Ted: Do you sell intimate apparel accessories?

Grace:  We sell Brassy Bra for an excellent “backless” option and Nippies silicone pasties and tape. We also love Soak for easy delicates care!

Ted: Where do you like to shop for your merchandise?

Grace:  I just attended Curve NY to meet with a bunch of brands all at once and discovered some beautiful new brands while I was there. I also love Faire Wholesale Marketplace for cards, candles, and other things I might not have found elsewhere. 

Ted: Have you brought any new products or brands into your store recently?

Grace:  All of them! We’re brand new, so all of our products are new. 

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

Grace:  I am finding that my customers love sexy and luxurious lingerie, so I am excited to bring in some more fun styles! With few alternatives in the area, people are excited to try new styles they might not have seen before.

Ted: What are your most popular colors?

Grace:  Since we’ve just opened, red and pink have been very popular for Valentine’s Day, but our customers are also loving purples and navy, along with classic black.

Ted: Describe your price points and size ranges.

Grace: Our bras range from $50 - $98 and 28-54/A-KK (UK). Lingerie is up to $198 from XS-5XL.

Ted: What is your typical or average customer size?  

Grace: As a new store, we have a fairly small sample size. So far, F-G are the most common cup sizes and sizes L/XL for lingerie. Of course, we know that all sizes are “normal” and look forward to helping customers throughout the full spectrum of our size range!

Ted: What does your average customer spend per visit to your store?

Grace: It varies, and again, our sample size is small, but about $250 is average at the moment.

Ted: Describe your customer base.

Grace: Our customers are anyone who wears bras or lingerie! We have teenage customers, folks in their 70s and 80s, petite and plus-sized, gay and straight, and cis and trans clients.  

Ted: What have you done to draw attention to your business? 

Grace:  We work with a lot of other local businesses to spread the word and use social media to attract new customers. We’ve partnered with local women’s groups as well to host events. 

Ted: Who are your favorite sales representatives in the business?

Grace: How can I choose?! Everyone has been so lovely and supportive so far! I have to give a shoutout to Jacquelyn Thompson from Panache for helping me with fittings at my grand opening. She is also based in Fort Worth, so she understood from the beginning how badly we needed a bra store here and has been extremely helpful as I get started.