It's been a favourite spot for brides and grooms alike but after 45 years Cerasia Fashions is closing its doors for good.
It was started in 1971 by Tony and Deborah Cerasia as a small tailor shop operating out of their home on Front St. to become the largest menswear and bridal shop in northern Ontario.
The business moved to its 415 Main St. E. location in 1973.
After 45 years Tony says it's time to fully retire after a career filled with memories.
"There were a million things we did for customers," Tony told BayToday, "But it's the perfect time to quit. We enjoy going away for the winter."
Cerasia's manufactured their own line of bridesmaids and bridal gowns plus formal gowns for mothers at one time, selling them around the world to places like Russia, the Caribbean, South America, Europe and all over North America.
The company was a one stop wedding boutique providing accessories like shoes, crinolines, bras, invitations, decor and even North Bay's first limo service called TC Limo.
But times changed and the internet arrived.
"Girls are ordering dresses now that are made and shipped directly from China," Tony's wife Deborah said. "There's no way a local store can compete. They don't have overhead. They pay people two dollars a day to sew these dresses and they are all synthetic fabrics."
And there's the overhead, especially high hydro prices.
"We have a steam table, vacuum press, all of the machines are industrial...we have four or five sewing machines, plus the lighting and heating I think we're paying in the neighbourhood of 16 hundred dollars a month just for hydro. And property taxes are ridiculous so it just doesn't make economic sense."
Cerasia's was known for its customer service.
Deborah recalls one incident where a tuxedo rental had to come from Toronto, arrived late...just a day before the wedding, and didn't fit.
"The company had made a mistake in the groom's tuxedo and there was no way to make it fit. We called Toronto and they didn't have a stock tuxedo that would fit the gentleman, but there was one in Montreal but no way to get it to North Bay in time for the wedding."
So Deborah and Tony jumped in their car and drove all the way to Montreal to pick it up and get back in time for the wedding.
"We arranged to meet in a parking lot after hours to get the tuxedo. It was at a big mall at one o'clock in the morning. So you can imagine an empty parking lot, a car waiting in the middle of the lot, we drive up. Two trunks open up. A box goes from one trunk to the other. The trunks close and both drivers dive in and leave."
The pair drove back to North Bay and met the groom at 9 a.m.just four hours before the wedding.
"He tried on the tuxedo and we made a few adjustments and they got happily married at one o'clock," Deborah adds with a laugh.
Over the years the Cerasias have supported many charitable, scholastic and sporting organizations in the area, holding fashion shows to raise funds for various causes including breast cancer.
Now it's time to clear out existing stock and fixtures before closing the doors one final time.
"Tony will be 68 in December. He started training as a tailor when he was six years old so he's actually been working for 62 years," said Deborah. "I think it's time to retire."
