LaNoire Bridal, a wedding store that specializes in cultural inclusivity, is looking to relocate to a historic downtown St. Paul building with some help from the city.

After finding success in the Pioneer Endicott building, LaNoire owner Lorraine Love wants to expand and relocate her business to the Fitz Flats with the help of a low-interest $100,000 business loan from the city.

The new lease at Fitz Flats, formerly known as the Viking Apartments at 5 W. Seventh St., is twice the size of LaNoire’s original location and will allow the store to carry larger inventory including attire for the bridal party, flower girls and other accessories, according to city documents.

The city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority met Wednesday to discuss the loan and its contingencies, including $31,500 of non-debt that needs to be secured by the borrower.

Council member Mitra Jalali praised two prongs of the ask: that it would activate shuttered downtown space, drawing people in, and that with the relocation, LaNoire could offer more than it currently does. “I feel excited, this feels like a natural progression,” Jalali said.

An 1890s-era Queen Anne Victorian building, the Fitz Flats was recently renovated by developer Ed Conley and his company CCI Properties. Restored to its original fame, the building features tall ceilings, bay windows and its long-lost witch’s hat-style turret.

“I feel confident she will be even more successful than she has been,” Nicolle Goodman Newton, director of planning and economic development for the city, said of the new location.

The $100,000 business loan, which would have a 10-year term with 3% interest, would significantly contribute to the project’s overall cost of about $263,000.

The next action on the loan will take place in January, Council member Rebecca Noecker said.

Related Articles

Letter to the Editor: The St. Paul City Council has the ultimate authority to set the city budget

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra announces its 29th balanced budget in the past 31 years

City clears residents from 11-story Lowry Apartments in downtown St. Paul

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor to play Xcel Energy Center in June

Grow Downtown: Low rent, big dreams draw 18 small businesses to vacant St. Paul storefronts