Before moving to Napa in 1970, Ana Alfaro grew up in San Antonio, a small town in Michoacán Mexico. To make ends meet, her mother would sell chicken eggs, that would eventually be enough to buy a sewing machine. Soon after, her mother became the best tailor in town. “She would turn simple pieces of fabric into beautiful masterpieces.” Alfaro recalls. “For me it was just like magic. “She remembers watching women’s faces light up when they twirled in front of a mirror in their new dresses. All the while, her father worked as a bracero on the railroads in the united states, trying to send home all the money he could. Her father was later rewarded for his labor and granted U.S. citizenship, allowing his family to come here to live with him.
Her life changed when the family emigrated from Mexico to the U.S., her family including Alfaro and her seven siblings, had to move often in order for her parents and older brothers to find seasonal work in the fields. Attending three to four different schools in one year was not uncommon. Alfaro knew even then that that was not the lifestyle she wanted for herself, and vowed to continue her education.
Ana always dreamed of owning a bridal shop, those dreams would seem much farther soon after, she was in school when her mother suffered an injury from a car accident, and she was faced with having to drop out of school and work in the fields with her siblings and father to help make ends meet.
Alfaro finally got a break when she was 17, she enrolled in a government program that allowed her to work in a factory as a seamstress, while returning to school. At 19, she married the man she calls “My wonderful Husband”, and a few years after that she went to work for the Clinic Ole as a translator and medical assistant.
Alfaro said, “I learned about customer service at the clinic.” “I taught patients to ask questions when they didn’t understand something, and not to blindly accept what someone in a white coat told them to do.” While working at the clinic ole, Alfaro finished her G.E.D. At 27, she and her husband became U.S. Citizens.
Things were great, but Alfaro wanted more for her and her family, which now included three children. She resigned from clinic ole, a place she loved, in order to grow and went to work for a cosmetics company, hired to travel the country and train other entrepreneurs on how to start their own business. She taught that with consistency, perseverance and faith in yourself, you can accomplish anything.
“I was teaching that they could make their dreams come true, and kept thinking about my own dreams,” Alfaro said. It was time to act.
In 1999, Alfaro opened Anna’s Bridal Boutique. She didn’t want to go into debt, and only bought what she could pay cash for, a half dozen bridal dresses, four mother of the bride dresses, seven bridesmaids dresses, and three quinceañera dresses. She had one sewing machine that her mother gave her, a desk and an adding machine. Her 13-year-old daughter, Olga, who would come in after school every day, was her only employee. Her most important possession was her commitment that her business would succeed. Today, Anna’s employees three seamstresses. The business is a full service, bridal salon featuring Bridal, Bridesmaids, mother of the bride, flower girl, quinceañera, prom, Communion, and christening gowns. They also do Tuxedo rentals, accessories, linen rental, steaming, cleaning and preservation of gowns, and alterations for all occasions. Alfaro’s tenacity has paid off, for the past consecutive 5 years, the U.S. commerce association named Anna’s Bridal Boutique the best bridal and Alteration Store in Northern California.
Olga Alfaro, now 35 and a partner in the business, graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business administration and marketing, Spanish and a professional sales certificate. And 2021 with an MBA in business Administration. The plan for Ana is to pass on the legacy to her daughter in the very near future and watch as she grows the business into her own little empire.
Anna’s Bridal Boutique is a family owned business, and Alfaro wants her customers to feel like a part of the family. Anna’s Prices cover a wide range, so that everyone can find the dress of their dreams. Anna’s is located at 2407 California Blvd. Suite#4 in Napa Ca.
Alfaro Credits the community for her success, “We are blessed to have such amazing clients.”
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