New Owner Re-Opens Formal Wear Shop

Tomorrow, from noon to 8 pm, Athens is invited to the grand re-opening, a “Spooktacular,” of High Maintenance Formalwear (HMFW).It's in Five Points, across from Hodgson Terrace in the blue house.

New owner Amy Burns, who purchased the store in September, is excited to showcase the newly improved HMFW. Burns sparkles like the dresses lined up on the store racks as she shares her hopes for the future. She is looking forward to using her people skills and HMFW to serve the Athens community.

The store is locally owned and operated. It carries top designer fashion (if a desired dress isn’t available, often HMFW can order it for delivery within two days).The store carries designers most people think they can find only in Atlanta.

This makes it convenient for the local shoppers and last minute purchases. Burns says she wants to support the community at large. She has already agreed to sponsor a fund-raising fashion show at a local high school. The show will offer students and parents a sneak peek at the latest fashions for prom season.

 The store carries not only prom dresses, but also a variety of formalwear (sorry brides, no gowns here). Burns invites the public to check out the clothes, shoes and accessories everything a Cinderella needs for a night out. Recent additions to the store include high heeled chairs for resting while trying on trendy new arrivals. HMFW also holds the exclusive rights to several designers unavailable anywhere else in Athens.

As the mom of a high school daughter, and a son in middle school, Burns thinks owning and operating her own store is a perfect match.

Hours of operation are 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays. The store will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. Burns is also happy to make individual appointments for those who cannot come to the store during those hours.

As an incentive to attend Saturday’s event, the first 20 visitors in the store will receive an HMFW t-shirt. In addition, there will be a drawing for a free dress and many other door prizes for neighboring businesses in Five Points.