Tammie Borden has dreamed of opening a clothing store since her high school days in New Orleans.
Along the way she worked in catering, married Cornelius Borden, relocated to Panther Trace after Hurricane Katrina and gave birth to her daughter, Christina, now 2.
Late last year, her older brother died of a heart attack. Not long after, Tammie said, she was laid off.
Her brother, musician Charles Bacot, had always told her to follow her dream.
And so the timing seemed right.
The result is the Velvet Rope, a Bloomingdale boutique that sells cocktail dresses, ball gowns, studded T-shirts and casual wear for the slightly self-indulgent.
The Bordens cut the ribbon on their new store last Thursday in a ceremony attended by about a dozen well-wishers from the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce. (Shown here is graphics designer Georgia Carmichael, a Chamber ambassador).
“Hopefully we can be successful,” Cornelius told the group. “I think we can. I think we will. I know we will.”
So far, the business is progressing nicely, Tammie said. “The prices are affordable. They are $20 on up to $800. You can come in here and not be overwhelmed by the prices.”
Buyers of prom and homecoming dresses also can be confident that the styles are one of a kind.
“You can tell people you bought it at the Velvet Rope,” Tammie said. “But you won’t find another one like it.”
The Velvet Rope is at 1042 Bloomingdale Ave. The store opens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday. On Thursdays, hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call (813) 381-3865.
State Road 60 has long been a defining feature of eastern Hillsborough County: commuter thoroughfare, shopping hub and dining spot. 60 & South offers an array of news, announcements, community activities, local sporting events from the communities north of State Road 60 to the emerging communities farther south. Visit this blog daily for information about your neighborhood and community.
Saundra Amrhein covers retirement living in Sun City Center and cultural and immigration issues in Wimauma, Ruskin, Dover, Brandon and Plant City. Before working in east Hillsborough, she covered police news in Tampa; social services and government in Pasco County; and growth and development in Hernando County. She's originally from Pittsburgh and is married to a professional magician. In her free time, she practices yoga and has been working toward a master's degree in Latin American Studies at the University of South Florida. You can reach Saundra at 
Sherri Day the Brandon Bureau Chief, loves suburban life. She enjoys leaving the urban jungle behind for the peace, quiet, sound of laughing children and random wildlife in her deed-restricted community. Though still fairly new to the bay area - she moved here in 2004 - Sherri knows what makes small communities special. She was born and raised in Tifton, Ga., a small-town in the southwest part of the state. Sherri received her bachelor's degree from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She moved to Tampa from Brooklyn and lives in the 'burbs with her husband, one-year-old daughter and two cats. Share your news & views with Sherri at 
When I first came to Brandon in 1988, I thought, "There's a McDonald's here, so it can't be all bad." After a year, I moved to St. Petersburg and then Lakeland. When it became time to return to Hillsborough County in 1993, I could have picked Carrollwood, South Tampa or Temple Terrace, but the "60 " South" area just seemed like home. Fifteen years and three kids later, our roots have taken hold in Seffner like a majestic oak tree. We couldn't be happier. You can reach Ernest Hooper at 
Chandra Broadwater covers growth and development, including the areas of
Riverview and Lithia. Chandra grew up in a military
family and the suburbs make her feel right at home, bringing back memories
of a childhood spent in the back of a minivan as her mother carted the
family around to countless after-school activities. (Just as her mother
predicted, she regrets that she didn’t stick with piano.) And now that she
drives herself, she enjoys exploring the "60 & South" area and meeting
everyone along the way. You can reach her at 
Jessica Vander Velde joined the Times in 2008 after graduating from the University of Florida. She grew up in the suburbs of Tampa, planning not to return. But she's back and loving it. Nothing beats Plant City strawberry U-picks and lazy afternoons kayaking down a local river. She'll readily pass on tips about fun things to do in southeastern Hillsborough County. Jessica can be reached at 
Kevin Smetanahas lived in Brandon most of his life, and he eagerly returned to the suburbs to join the Times in November after spending six months in South Carolina reporting for a newspaper, TV station and Web site. Kevin is a graduate of Bloomingdale High and USF. He covers news in the Brandon area, but on the blog he writes about local sports -- both team and individual. He's an avid runner and cyclist and a member of the FishHawk Road Runner's Club. If you have information on athletics, you can reach Kevin at 
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