Featuring ~ Busted Ladies Lingerie

Submitted by Sherry Gummow, owner of Busted Ladies Lingerie in Ponoka, Alberta, Canada

I’ve always loved to “dress up” as compared to “dress down.” I wore hats when nobody else did, love bling with everything, and feel naked without my lipstick & earrings – even when heading to the barn. I had a dream in my early twenties of owning a store where “customer service” ruled supreme, where buying decisions were made with certain women in mind, and where women felt loved. I was raised on a farm, and love most things “retro;” my favorite book & movie is still “Gone With the Wind.”  I rode horseback growing up, but was away from it for quite a few years, and returned as a middle aged baby boomer. I wasn’t quite as slim & trim by then as I had been growing up, and found it difficult to find proper support for my “girls” while riding. I wanted shape, so often wore what I thought was a proper fitting bra, with a sports bra over top for extra support. About 7 years ago, I did obtain a proper bra fitting, and then realized not only how bad I’d looked on my beautiful Morgan stallion, even with all the bling & pretty clothes, as the “girls” didn’t look or feel good. I knew I wasn’t the only woman involved in sports in the same dilemma. After talking with my friends & my wonderfully supportive husband, Keith, the decision was made to open a bra shop in our hometown, Ponoka, Alberta, Canada.

Wanting to use some of my antiques for display purposes, I looked for a building that could be redone to look old, when I stumbled across one that was antique, and required little change to allow us to open the doors at “Busted Ladies Lingerie.” We have about 2000 square feet of shop space; our building will be 100 years old in 2014. We often hear “you have so much stock,” as we have all our stock on display, rather than only display styles & colors.

I believe that all women are wonderfully made, and should be able to find properly fitted, supportive & feminine undergarments, regardless of shape or size. We are located in a rural setting, population of about 7,500 people. Our trading area is about double, and we draw customers from 6+ hours away on a fairly regular basis.I’ve been blessed with great staff; Diane has been here since 3 days after we opened, and is definitely my right hand lady. Our goal is for each & every customer to have an “uplifting experience” while at Busted. We carry from AA – N cups, from 28 – 52 bands. We also carry sleep & nightwear up to a 4X.

I am very active as a volunteer in the community (my hubby says he needs to make an appointment to see me most days); we’ve been honored to receive the “Small Business of the Year Award” from our local Chamber of Commerce in 2009 & again in 2012. We have had 2 of our customer service reps nominated for “Customer Service Person of the Year,” which Diane won in 2012.

It can be very challenging to be a specialty shop in a small rural town; we work with other small businesses to promote our town as a great place to shop, visit & receive excellent customer service. If you’re in the area, stop by “The Best Little Lingerie Shop in Central Alberta,” –

Busted Ladies Lingerie is located at 5020 – 50 St., downtown Ponoka, Alberta, Canada