About Cathy, the Owner of Rumor Prom and Formal

about-2

It Began With an Idea

In 2012, Cathy took her eldest daughter shopping. It was her daughter’s junior year, and the teenager needed a dress to wear for prom. When Cathy realized that most gowns cost $500, she decided to design one herself.

Cathy and her daughter didn’t come home empty-handed, however. The doting mother truly enjoyed the time she spent bonding with her daughter while they searched for a dress. That unforgettable experience is the reason behind the creation of Rumor Prom and Formal.

A Fresh Start

Cathy was working at international programs for Upper Iowa University in 2011. After returning home from a work trip to Malaysia in October of the same year, she found herself transitioning in to a different position that did not fit her. When shopping for a prom gown for her daughter that following February, Cathy realized the career change she was needing. She loved the bonding experience of searching for a gown and witnessed other parents bonding with their daughters as well. She decided on the spot that that was her new career. Within four months, she had written a business plan, secured a grant, purchased a building and resigned from the university.

Summer and fall of 2012 was filled with learning renovations, locating wholesalers, attending markets and buying inventory. In January 2013, Rumor Prom and Formal opened in Fayette, IA.

Rumor Prom and Formal moved to a new location in January of 2016. Set in a Victorian home in a relaxed atmosphere, our lovely store is now located in an historic district in downtown Dubuque, the oldest city in Iowa.

Our store is open seasonally from January to April, Wednesday through Friday 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., and Saturday 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. For the remainder of the year, our store is listed as a guesthouse on Airbnb.

A New Location

Rumor Prom and Formal moved to a new location in January of 2016. Set in a relaxed atmosphere, our lovely store is now located in a historic district in Downtown Dubuque, the oldest city in Iowa.

A Seasonal Schedule

Our store is open seasonally—specifically, from January to April—to coincide with school proms. Our store hours are Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 10 AM to 6 PM, and Saturdays, from 10 AM to 3 PM. For the remainder of the year, our store is listed as a guesthouse on Airbnb.

We are proud to be excellent hosts! Cathy’s husband is a band director for the city of Dubuque. In the summer, the two work together to renovate their other investment properties.

We Sell Online

We are thrilled to let you know that our unique brick and mortar store is now also selling dresses online! You can now experience shopping for a gown from the comfort of your own home. This is an exciting time for us, so we hope you join us in this new phase of our business.

granddaughter

Providing an Unforgettable Experience

At Rumor Prom and Formal, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with an in-store experience that they can’t find anywhere else. Our goal is to make your prom dreams come true by making sure you find the perfect dress. Aside from that, we also want you to have fun while doing so.

Our granddaughter loves to help!