When Lizzie Wheeler lists appointments for Studio Dorothy, her vintage bridal boutique, she has to check her family’s Google Calendar first. It shows her who’s staying in 10D and 11D, two studio apartments stacked on top of each other in a giant East Side building. Apartment 11D belongs to her aunt and uncle, and her parents own 10D. If her father, Scott, a composer and musician based in Boston, is using 10D to draft music or to host a cocktail party ahead of a performance, or if any of her cousins, aunts, or uncles have already booked it, then Lizzie waits until the next free day. It’s a 12-person negotiation.
It’s been this way since she launched her business in 2024. But Lizzie doesn’t mind. “People shop this kind of business for the personal touch. They want to say, ‘I got my wedding dress at this lovely old apartment,’” she says. “The little inconveniences are worth it for the story.”
