January 24, 2009
By VANESA D. SALINAS
Up and down Jefferson Avenue, stores that sell quinceañera dresses, bouquets and accessories are reporting a steep drop in sales.
Event organizers say the 15th-birthday celebrations – a traditional rite of passage for Hispanic daughters – are becoming increasingly frugal.
And at D'Gala Bridal Boutique in Oak Cliff, owner Raul Salas has started offering free alterations and up to 20 percent off on dresses just to stay competitive.
The weak economy is definitely having an impact on the multimillion-dollar quinceañera industry in Dallas.
Anna Mancha said she really "wanted to do something big so that my daughter could really shine." But she is considering a dinner – instead of the elaborate quinceañera party –to celebrate her daughter's birthday.
"To be honest with you, we don't have any money for a quinceañera right now," said Mancha, who recently passed by a quinceañera boutique on Jefferson.
At Celebración Bridal boutique in Oak Cliff, Mayra Orozco said she knows that many parents are struggling.
The number of customers has been steady, but they're being much more careful about how they spend their money, she said.
"Before recession hit, not a single day went by without us selling at least one dress," she said. "Now, many days go by without a single sale."
Just a few months ago, she said, she used to sell at least one dress a day in the $350 to $390 range. Now she's lucky to sell just one in that price range per week.
Consumers who used to ask for $90 dresses now are willing to pay only about $60, she said.
Some 400,000 girls celebrate a formal quinceañera party each year in the U.S., according to Hearst Digital Media, which launched a Web site called Mis Quince in 2007. And their families spend an average of just less than $5,000 on these celebrations.
So boutique owners are trying to encourage moms to pay for the dresses in exchange for other concessions.
Orozco, for instance, also is offering free alterations and ironing.
"You have to work more for less," she said.
Salas, of D'Gala Bridal Boutique, said he has been able to keep sales steady, but the reduced profit margin has strained his business.
"We have been in business for almost 14 years, and this is the first year we are having a little trouble making the rent, the bills and everything," he said.
D'Gala had a slow December, traditionally a busy month for the store and a time of year when many families have the money to spend on the dresses for use at a later time.
Today, hardly anybody is willing to buy the $1,500 package, which includes the dress, tiara, bouquet, a photo album, invitations and flower arrangements for the church and reception hall.
Other kits, such as an $849 package – which includes everything but the arrangements – also have been hard to sell, he said.
"We have had to return those packages [to the distributors] because there's no money to pay for what we ordered," Salas said.
Slashing budgets
Cindy Benavides, president of Strategic Events, which organizes bridal and quinceañera shows, said the industry's small businesses don't usually take part in her events, but this year they are looking for ways to get their name out there because of the sales slump.
"The economy is hitting all of us hard," she said. "Nuptials and quinceañeras are going to continue, but families are going to slash their budgets."
And the cuts are toward the basic items as well the "extras," she said.
Instead of renting an expensive Hummer or hiring a band for the reception, parents will settle for the traditional limousine and a DJ, she said.
The "cadets," or dancers, who have become so popular in Dallas, are a $500 to $1,000 luxury many families just can't afford.
Alex Jiménez, general manager of the Sweet Sensation Cadets dancing group, said his boys used to split up to do two or three parties every Saturday. Now, they work at only one or two parties a month.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed" that business will pick up, Jiménez said.
Sharing costs
María Pineda, whose daughter turns 15 next July, said "padrinos," or godparents, will help sponsor much of the cost for her party. Her husband works in construction and has had little work recently, she said.
"She has godparents for cake, invitation cards, reception hall, church arrangements, Mass – everything you can," Pineda said. "But between all of us, we're going to give her her party."
Source: Dallas Morning News
By VANESA D. SALINAS
Up and down Jefferson Avenue, stores that sell quinceañera dresses, bouquets and accessories are reporting a steep drop in sales.
Event organizers say the 15th-birthday celebrations – a traditional rite of passage for Hispanic daughters – are becoming increasingly frugal.
And at D'Gala Bridal Boutique in Oak Cliff, owner Raul Salas has started offering free alterations and up to 20 percent off on dresses just to stay competitive.
The weak economy is definitely having an impact on the multimillion-dollar quinceañera industry in Dallas.
Anna Mancha said she really "wanted to do something big so that my daughter could really shine." But she is considering a dinner – instead of the elaborate quinceañera party –to celebrate her daughter's birthday.
"To be honest with you, we don't have any money for a quinceañera right now," said Mancha, who recently passed by a quinceañera boutique on Jefferson.
At Celebración Bridal boutique in Oak Cliff, Mayra Orozco said she knows that many parents are struggling.
The number of customers has been steady, but they're being much more careful about how they spend their money, she said.
"Before recession hit, not a single day went by without us selling at least one dress," she said. "Now, many days go by without a single sale."
Just a few months ago, she said, she used to sell at least one dress a day in the $350 to $390 range. Now she's lucky to sell just one in that price range per week.
Consumers who used to ask for $90 dresses now are willing to pay only about $60, she said.
Some 400,000 girls celebrate a formal quinceañera party each year in the U.S., according to Hearst Digital Media, which launched a Web site called Mis Quince in 2007. And their families spend an average of just less than $5,000 on these celebrations.
So boutique owners are trying to encourage moms to pay for the dresses in exchange for other concessions.
Orozco, for instance, also is offering free alterations and ironing.
"You have to work more for less," she said.
Salas, of D'Gala Bridal Boutique, said he has been able to keep sales steady, but the reduced profit margin has strained his business.
"We have been in business for almost 14 years, and this is the first year we are having a little trouble making the rent, the bills and everything," he said.
D'Gala had a slow December, traditionally a busy month for the store and a time of year when many families have the money to spend on the dresses for use at a later time.
Today, hardly anybody is willing to buy the $1,500 package, which includes the dress, tiara, bouquet, a photo album, invitations and flower arrangements for the church and reception hall.
Other kits, such as an $849 package – which includes everything but the arrangements – also have been hard to sell, he said.
"We have had to return those packages [to the distributors] because there's no money to pay for what we ordered," Salas said.
Slashing budgets
Cindy Benavides, president of Strategic Events, which organizes bridal and quinceañera shows, said the industry's small businesses don't usually take part in her events, but this year they are looking for ways to get their name out there because of the sales slump.
"The economy is hitting all of us hard," she said. "Nuptials and quinceañeras are going to continue, but families are going to slash their budgets."
And the cuts are toward the basic items as well the "extras," she said.
Instead of renting an expensive Hummer or hiring a band for the reception, parents will settle for the traditional limousine and a DJ, she said.
The "cadets," or dancers, who have become so popular in Dallas, are a $500 to $1,000 luxury many families just can't afford.
Alex Jiménez, general manager of the Sweet Sensation Cadets dancing group, said his boys used to split up to do two or three parties every Saturday. Now, they work at only one or two parties a month.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed" that business will pick up, Jiménez said.
Sharing costs
María Pineda, whose daughter turns 15 next July, said "padrinos," or godparents, will help sponsor much of the cost for her party. Her husband works in construction and has had little work recently, she said.
"She has godparents for cake, invitation cards, reception hall, church arrangements, Mass – everything you can," Pineda said. "But between all of us, we're going to give her her party."
Source: Dallas Morning News
