Featuring ~ Gazebo Intimate Apparel
Submitted by Judith Fine, owner of Gazebo in Northhampton, Massachusetts
Gazebo started in 1978 after I had been designing nontraditional bridal gowns from my home for several years. At Gazebo’s beginning, every item was made by me using silks and vintage laces. The late 70’s were the beginning of lingerie’s resurgence We had finished burning our bras and were now embracing our femininity. I was also wholesaling my own designs through Ellen and Sylvia, an established lingerie company out of NYC. I soon realized that I needed to narrow my field. Custom, wholesale and retail was too much to handle. I decided to concentrate on the retail store. Now, 35 years later, I see that this was the right decision!
Gazebo began with my designs and then expanded to other natural fiber venders. Only cotton and silk items were in the store and we concentrated on daywear, playwear, and sleepwear. The first location was in our very unique downtown’s vibrant mall, which began as a large department store and was then divided into multi small shops, restaurants and a performing space. After two years we moved to a larger location and have been there ever since. Gazebo is 1200 square feet, and there are two spacious dressing rooms with chairs and couches and four curtained areas for try on. We expanded our offerings to bras, shapewear, workout wear and accessories. In 1992 we also started doing post mastectomy fittings and Gazebo was the founder of The Breast Form Fund, a non-profit that offered financial assistance to under-served breast cancer survivors in Massachusetts.
In 2007 Gazebo changed focus once again to concentrate on becoming a professional bra fitting store. It was clear to me that bras are the one area where women need personal help, as, truly, most women are wearing the wrong size and has no idea about what to look for in the proper fit. We offer bands from 28-54 and cups from AA-L. Gazebo prides itself on carrying a broad range of prices and venders so that every woman who enters feels that she can afford a bra that fits and supports her. Bali and Playtex, Coobie, Rhonda Shear, Conturelle, Anita and Wacoal all are found at Gazebo, along with Betsy Johnson, On Gossamer, Timpa, Anita, and Chantelle. We carry Hanky Panky, Huit, Elomi, Freya, Blush, Panache, Bravado, La Leche, Mary Green, Jockey and many other varied venders. We chose venders that we like to work with, that offer great customer service, and care about our satisfaction.
Our customers have grown with us these past few decades. What a thrill to fit the first bra on the young girl whose mother was a customer as well! We have worked with hundreds of women who are breast cancer survivors and our mission for ALL women is to help them feel good about themselves
For the past 20 years Gazebo has been nominated as the Best Place to Buy Lingerie in the Valley by a weekly newspaper, The Valley Advocate. We were honored to be finalists for two consecutive years in the Best of Intima contest, and we were very flattered to be featured in Body Magazine recently. Thirty five years is a long time to be in business. Gazebo is thriving. We are very busy, we have expanded our sales force and we continue to offer our customers a positive experience. When a customer walks into our store, she gets our undivided attention. When she walks out…her spirits and the girls are lifted!
Gazebo is located at 14 Center Street, Northhampton, MA
