SHOP
Bra Patch owner Ruth Dowdy.
for the GIRLS A specialty shop off Falls of Neuse wins loyal customers with empathy and expertise by SHELBI POLK photography by S.P. MURRAY
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etween the pink-and-white walls of the Bra Patch lives a world many women think only exists in fairy tales: one where bras fit, and fit well. The store is full of racks of bras and swimwear in sizes that cover an almost unbelievable span of the alphabet (cups all the way from A to O), with bands from 28 to 56. The store itself is nearly 45 years old, and current owner Ruth Dowdy took over 13 years ago. Department stores, Dowdy says, simply don’t have the bandwidth to stock sizes on the small and large sides of the bra bell curve. Bra Patch gets around that issue with their singular focus. “That’s our niche—we carry the bras stores won’t sell,” Dowdy says. Before buying the business, Dowdy worked for herself for 28 | WALTER
years representing a clothing line through trunk shows. Women would schedule one-on-one appointments for fittings for new wardrobes, and Dowdy noticed a consistent problem. “The one thing that was common with everyone was not knowing which bras to wear,” Dowdy says. “And you have to have a good bra for the clothes to look right.” Then Dowdy saw an article in The News & Observer about a specialized bra shop going out of business. The last owner was so passionate about the Bra Patch that she was ready to close the store if the right successor didn’t come along. Women were flocking to the store, afraid they wouldn’t be able to find the sizes once the Bra Patch closed. Dowdy stepped in. “One thing led to another and here we are. It was a life-changer,” she says.
