A new look for an old Grand Island bank building | Local Business News

Olive & Grace Bridal was founded by Amy Mayhew in February.

Currently operating out of the site’s downstairs space, Mayhew is readying the main floor to open in late November.

The full-service bridal salon offers gowns, tuxedos, as well as prom dresses and accessories.

The property had been listed at $450,000 and Mayhew plans on investing roughly $200,000 in remodeling the old bank site’s 8,000-square-foot main floor.

Mayhew described the moment that she knew she was going for her own business and bought the property as “a little scary.”

“I’m not young. I’m not starting out right out of school. I’ve learned a little bit on the way,”She spoke. “I guess 2020 taught us, too, that life can be short, things can change quickly, so if we’re going to do things, we need to do them.”

The business is named for Mayhew’s grandmothers, who remain an inspiration to her.

“Grace I never met. She was my dad’s mother. Olive is my mom’s mother,”She spoke. “I thought, what a fun name, I’ll go with that.”

Mayhew received her degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in fashion and marketing.

While studying, she worked at Kearney’s Chantilly Bridal.

“When I started working in bridal I fell in love with the business, so I added a second major and I have a business degree with a marketing emphasis,”She spoke.

It was always Mayhew’s dream to open her own bridal shop.

“I also saw how hard the owner of the store worked, and I wanted to stay home and raise my children,”She explained. “After I graduated I worked at a formal wear store in Lincoln, managed it, and we started a family here in Grand Island and I stayed home with the kids.”

Mayhew, who was the mother of her daughter, graduated in 2020. Mayhew felt bored and decided it was high time to start a blog. “dust off the dream.”

She looked at real estate and made offers, and in December she purchased the U.S. Bank building.

“The whole building is mine,”She cheered.

Olive & Grace was opened in February for prom season. Mayhew had a great start to his first year.

“I like working with that age. It was fun,”She spoke. “I’m looking forward to a bigger prom season next year, because we’ll actually bring out the prom dresses sooner. I’ll get a six-month season instead of two months.”

“Peaceful, elegant and classic”Mayhew’s vision for the main floor space after the remodel is complete was this.

“We’re hoping to have between 300 and 500 bridal gowns,”She spoke. “The mothers and the bridesmaids will have their own separate area. Tuxedos will also be in a separate area, so it’s subdivided in a way. I’ll have four dressing rooms for brides, three for bridesmaids and mothers and three for tuxedos.”

Mayhew says remodeling is going well.

Soon, painting will begin and bathrooms will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Custom cabinets are being built for the store’s many gowns.

Mayhew stated that the grated metal embellishment at the front of the 1963 building would be removed.

“The birds really like it. They build nests and poop in there,”She spoke. “I want it to look a little more open and inviting, so we’re going to get rid of that.”

Mayhew shared that it has been a lot of fun to see the vacant space take shape.

“We put up some walls, took down some walls,”She spoke. “We also have a vault, and it had lots of safety deposit boxes and we had those removed. We’re keeping the big vault door, but I wanted to use the vault for something else.”

Hours of operation vary. For more information, visit oliveandgracebridal.com.