LOCAL LEHIGH VALLEY GIRL MAKES GOOD RUNNING SPECIALTY BOUTIQUE IN BETHLEHEM

Salisbury resident, raised in Center Valley, studied fashion merchandising at Lehigh Valley College

BETHLEHEM, PA (December, 2007) – It’s always nice to see a local, Lehigh Valley girl make good. And in some ways, Salisbury’s Tracy Wilson is as local as they get. Raised right in Center Valley, the proprietor of Bliss (ww.shop-bliss.com) – a specialty retail boutique in Bethlehem – grew up in the ‘70s playing on her family’s farm in fields that would eventually become the Stabler Corporate Center. When she eventually attended classes at Lehigh Valley College on that site, she certainly had some nostalgic moments.

“I’m kind of fortunate to have roots in the old Lehigh Valley – the farming tradition,” Wilson says. “But I also really enjoy watching this area grow and mature. As a place to do business, it gets a little better every day.”

At Bliss, Wilson focuses on what she defines as “Comfy Clothes for Girls on the Go.” It’s her way of identifying specialty active and athletic wear for customers who are primarily in the 36 – 45 age range.

“This was a retail niche that was really lacking in the area – we’re offering cool-looking clothes for real women who are getting older and have some curves,” Wilson explains. “Any mall has all kinds of stuff for skinny young girls. My store is for people who don’t want to walk around in ill-fitting clothes that make them look like they raided their daughter’s closet.”

When it comes to selecting the best new styles and fabrics for active women, Wilson can turn to herself as a lifestyle consultant. A former bodybuilder, she now spends her recreational time on a mountain bike, in a kayak, or on a snow board. And fashion, too, has long been her passion.

Wilson got her start in the industry down in Key West, FL, where she was first a manager, then a buyer, for a local retail store. She moved back to Pennsylvania in the mid-‘90s, and eventually found her way to Lehigh Valley College’s program. She graduated in 2005 with a fashion merchandising degree.

“It was perfect for me – I got all the classes I really needed, but didn’t have to spend years on a bunch of other stuff,” says Wilson. “I already knew exactly what I wanted to do, and I wasn’t interested in wasting any time.”

Looking ahead, Wilson is optimistic about the future of Bliss, and she looks forward to her business continuing to expand. But whatever direction her professional career takes, she’s certain of one thing.

“Fashion, clothing – that’s what I love,” she says. “And that’s what I’m always going to do.”