I had a mixed experience at Drea K. However there are so many strong reviews, my guess is that my experience was unique, and an unusual occurrence. My advice- give them a try, but just be sure to express concerns immediately (if you have any). Dora's and Andrea's dedication to customer satisfaction is extremely high, so if you are concerned about the workmanship, let her know right away and I am certain she will do whatever is necessary to rectify the situation.
Long story short, the actual work on my maid-of-honor dress was not fantastic. Although in the end, the fit was close, it took 7 fittings, and quite a bit of angst, as well as a lot of personal attention by Andrea to rectify the situation. However, that said, Andrea's incredible customer service to do everything she possibly could to make me a happy client was very much appreciated. She really went above and beyond and tried to rectify a bad situation (after I had written a negative review on yelp). I could tell that her personal ethics dictated that she really try everything she possibly could to fix both my opinion of the shop, as well as the work. I know that sometimes, mistakes happen and what is truly important is how it is handled. Andrea certainly tried her very best and did the maximum she could have to repair the situation.
The actual sewing itself (aside from the fact that they could not get the fit right) was quite good. You cannot see the seams nor notice the fact that the dress was likely taken apart several times to accommodate the multiple attempts at fitting it properly. So, I have absolutely nothing to complain about with regard to the actual sewing part of the work.
In the end, the dress that had started out way too big was still too tight. However, although it was quite snug, by the 7th fitting, it was wearable. In fact I actually received several compliments on the dress at the wedding. So, I guess it was all worthwhile!!!
To recap...
The Good - Andrea's attention to customer satisfaction was stellar, resulting in a snug, but finally close to fitting, well-stitched dress. She clearly cares deeply about her business & her customers. Also, Dora (from the shop) was very sweet.
The Bad - It was a huge waste of my time to have to go into the shop 4x as well as have 3 additional fittings in my hotel room where Andrea came to fix the problem.
The Ugly - I was very turned off by the good-natured but inappropriate soft-evangelism that I experienced. After revealing that I was Jewish during a conversation at fitting #5 or 6, I was given a gift along with my dress: a booklet of devotionals "Our Daily Bread" as well as some green tea. In an email sent to me a week later, the daily reading was mentioned, as was Jesus' name. My advice: Don't mix business and religion. You'll lose customers, even if your gift is well-intentioned. I know Andrea is a very nice lady who only has my best interest at heart. However, it wasn't appropriate.
Do give them a try. There are enough very strong reviews, coupled with my excellent experience with Andrea's customer service to make the dress wearable, that I'd suggest giving them a shot. Just be clear on what works for you and what doesn't... and don't talk religion... read more