WINSTON-SALEM – Lots of good news being made by Unbox the Dress: Funding, new location, and more.
According to an SEC filing, Winston-Salem startup Unbox the Dress has secured $250,000 in financing through a combination of debt and a security to be acquired upon exercise of option, warrant, or other right to acquire a security, with plans to sew up to $750,000 in additional funding.
The company, a spring 2020 NC IDEA SEED grant recipient and a member of the WinstonStarts cohort, recently opened a new 4,600 square foot headquarters location in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem on West Fifth Street.
Inside Unbox the Dress HQ
“We decided to relocate to Winston-Salem because it is a growth market with huge potential,” said Rojek in an interview with WRAL Tech Wire. “We want to be a part of the Winston-Salem downtown renaissance, and look forward to becoming an integrated part of the community.”
The company invested the grant money received from the NC IDEA SEED grant program in sourcing and installing state-of-the-art JUKI sewing equipment and in the recruitment and training of the company’s core sewing team, said Rojek, and will be investing the remaining funds into expanding the reach and audience for the company’s signature wedding dress preservation and storage service, Save the Dress.
The new facility is meant to be a long-term home for the company, said Rojek. “We’re excited to call this our home as we continue to build the Unbox the Dress brand and serve customers from coast to coast.”
Through the move, the company’s sales are at record highs since inception in 2017, said Rojek. “In a difficult year where many families are delaying big events and forced to spend time apart, our services provide a unique way to spread joy and connect across the miles,” she said. “Many of our clients decide to make Guardian Angel Christmas Ornaments from their wedding gown, sending the angels as gifts to loved ones.”
The company also completed the Winston Starts program earlier this year, connecting Rojek to mentors and leaders in the local entrepreneurial community. And, the company has brought on eight employees—since announcing the move in May. The company continues to interview skilled seamstresses who will reconstruct their client’s wedding gowns into more than 40 different designs.
In announcing the recipients of the NC IDEA SEED grant in May, Thom Ruhe, CEO and President of NC IDEA asserted that the historical data clearly shows that for every economic downturn, it is entrepreneurs who bring the economy back, and who build the economy back better, choosing to see and explore opportunity, access to experienced talent, and persevere, and pointed toward Rojek’s company as an example of the future of our economy.
Unbox the Dress logo
“Startups, especially those led by minority and female owners, will play an important role in the economy’s recovery,” said Rojek. “There’s still work to be done on increasing capital at the seed-stage for companies that aren’t software only.”
Expanding during a pandemic took careful planning, said Rojek, and the company hasn’t been able to deliver every desired product, such as an in-person consultation for local clients. But the company has maintained growth, continued to see increased interest and positive trends in the marketing and sales metrics, with 100 percent client satisfaction, she said.
“We’re more than a pretty brand,” said Rojek. “A determined team with a powerful vision and the right building blocks for major growth.”
According to the filing, three investors participated. An estimated $10,000 of the gross proceeds of the offering has been or is proposed to be used for payments to CEO & Founder Grace Rojek or Lorraine Stewart, a director of the company.
The company previously reported $135,000 in debt financing from a single investor in a June 2020 filing which included a simple agreement for future equity, at which point an estimated $50,000 of gross proceeds had or had been proposed to be used for payments to Rojek. Between filings, the company incorporated in the state of Delaware.
