Proms went poof after schools shifted to online learning last March, dragging dress sales with them.
Although high schools have since reopened, school leaders are still uncertain about holding large-scale events until they get guidance from state officials.
“I wish I had a crystal ball,” said Seraichyk, the owner of Infusion Boutique in Warwick. “We’re in uncharted territory. No one ever wrote a business plan that included a pandemic.”
The hard shutdown on public events last spring left many boutiques reeling from a double whammy: the cancellation of weddings and proms.
“Prom is 95% of my revenue,” said Stefania Spas, owner of Stefania’s Boutique in Cranston. “Last year, we closed on St. Patrick’s Day. I can count on two hands how many dresses I’ve sewn since then. My mom and I didn t go upstairs to our prom area for three months because it was too sad.”