COVINGTON - The Wedding Mall, a $1 million investment in the matrimony industry by Jim and Donna Salyers, opens in Covington's growing wedding district next month at 630 Madison Ave.

With marble floors, opulent chandeliers and a projected 16 retailers, the mall will bring one-stop luxury wedding shopping to this historic business district.

So far, eight stores in the mall are leased.

"I don't know that there's any actual wedding malls like this anywhere in the county," said Jim Salyers, also the owner of The Madison, a banquet hall that can have six wedding receptions simultaneously. It was opened in December 1989 in a former Woolworth building at 700 Madison Ave.

Strong results from Fabulous Bridal, owned by the Salyers, led the two to open the Wedding Mall.

"A reception hall is the first place people go. We were always being asked who we recommended - what other services were available," he said.

Business in 2005 was up by 13 percent at The Madison, Salyers said, with bookings for 2006 already ahead of the 2005 pace by 33 percent.

Revenues this year are projected at $3 million.

John Eckberg

E-mail this

Printer-friendly