New specialty store for women opens in Peru

Kathy Glascock, owner of Girlfriends ... the bra specialist in Peru, displays some of her store's inventory at 4419 N. Progress Boulevard, behind Menard's. (BCR photo/Lyle Ganther)

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PERU — Girlfriends ... the bra specialists is a new lingerie store which recently opened in Peru at 4419 N. Progress Boulevard (just behind Menards). Girlfriends features professional bra fittings and a wide range of in-stock bra sizes.

“Our emphasis is in providing quality service to women. Bra manufacturers report that 85 percent of all women wear a bra that is not their size. We want to make what can be a shopping nightmare for women an easy and enjoyable experience,” said Kathy Glascock, store owner and entrepreneur.

Glascock is a Streator native with a career background working in higher education. While working in a predominantly female culture, Glascock noted that many women shared the same distress: The difficulty in finding a comfortable, fitting bra. After realizing there was a pattern to women struggling to find a comfortable fit, Glascock’s research lead her to the conceptualization and opening of Girlfriends.

Girlfriend’s in-house lingerie inventory includes bras for women who are petite, full-busted and those women with a larger band size. Specialties include bras for formal occasions including bridal; nursing and maternity bras and briefs; mastectomy bras and prosthesis; sports bras with control and comfort, and a selection of bras which are designed for the woman who has undergone breast augmentation surgery. Fashion panties and shapewear are offered, as well as fashion accessories to prevent the possibility of a “wardrobe malfunction” occurring.

Brand names offered in the store include Wacoal, Fantasie, Elomi, Freya, Spanx, Hanky Panky, Bravado, Amoena, Goddess and others. 

Glascock lives in Streator with her husband, Steve, after living in DeKalb for 25 years. A Streator High School graduate, Glascock was formerly an administrator at Illinois Valley Community College.

Upon realizing many women shared the same wish of wanting to find a bra with a comfortable and flattering fit and in knowing this area of Illinois has an unmet market niche, Glascock chose to promote women’s good health and well-being through this endeavor.

Glascock is assisted in the management of the store by Christa Foster, also a Streator native.

Girlfriends is open seven days a week with evening hours on Thursdays.

For store information visit girlfriendsbraspecialists.com or call (815) 780-8151.

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