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Business & Tech

Overseas Adoption Leads to Career in Bridal Gowns

Tania Canter, owner of Shaely's Bridal in the South County Center, shares how she happened upon a life in bridal couture.

Tania Canter, owner of in the South County Center, is in a state of transition. Somewhere between the house of God and the house where her family lies, she found a place in bridal couture.

“I never thought I would be in retail,” Canter said. “I always wanted to be a minister’s wife.”

Canter grew up in North County and then in South St. Louis as a pastor’s daughter. It was at the Friendship Assembly of God, where her father ministered, that she found early fulfillment as a youth and children’s pastor.

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It was also the church that lead her to the world of retail.  

“What started the store was that my sister adopted a little girl from Russia,” Canter said. “We all went all went over there. It was a family affair.”

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With Canter’s mother, father and sister all in tow, they traveled to Russia to collect Canter’s newly adopted niece. As church members, they were representing the adoption agency they were working through.

“It was almost like we were celebrities,” Canter said. “The adoption agency took us on a tour to different orphanages. One had a huge meal for us. One brought us into an auditorium and did this little show for us. And then one had these little girls as ballerinas. Mom saw one of these girls and something just clicked. She had this other little girl with her. And (her parents) thought, ‘well, if we get one, we should get two so they’d have someone to grow up with.’"

Six new brothers and sisters later, Canter found herself back in St. Louis and living under the same roof as her new expanded family.

That was about 11 years ago.

“It was different, but we loved it,” Canter said of the undertaking. “We felt like it was a ministry. (The children) came from a place where they had nothing. So we felt like it was something the Lord wanted us to do.”

Soon, though, the Canter family found with a new dilemma.

“Going to church, you know, you dress your kids up and we could never find little cute, fancy, frilly dresses,” Canter said. “So we just said, ‘Let’s open our own kids’ store.’”

That’s how Shaely-Bugs came to be.

“We started out on Telegraph Road as a children’s clothing store,” Canter said.

In the beginning, the store was owned by Canter’s mother and was named for her niece, Shaelynn, who was referred to within the family as Shaely-Bug.

In the early years, Canter did double duty as a part-time store clerk and staff pastor in her father’s church. In those days, they sold special-occasion clothing for little children.

When her parents retired, Canter took over ownership of Shaely-Bug and eventually moved the store’s location to South County Center.

But like many local businesses who have been affected by the downturned economy, Canter found it necessary to make some changes if they were to remain viable.

“We were always a special occasion store, so we decided to expand on that,” she said.

Last year, they changed the name to Shaely Bridal and began selling wedding attire and accessories.

“I enjoy working with the customers,” Canter said. “But it’s not as fulfilling as ministering to people. You’re not changing their souls. It’s fun though, you know. You know, you see the brides come in and see that dress and they’re all excited. You’re making a bride’s day a little better and that’s great.”

In the meantime, Canter is busy looking for a church where she can call home.

“The church my dad retired from is the only church I ever went to,” Canter said. “Wherever the Lord leads me—if he opens a door for me in ministry somewhere else, I’ll do that.”

For now, she hopes to “be a light to people” and is content to wait and see what “the Lord opens up” for her.

Schaely’s Bridal is located at 466 South County Center, on the upper level near Sears. To learn more, visit their website.

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