Dress For Success Announces Downtown Location Following Fire Which Destroyed Building

A metro nonprofit that helps women find professional work clothes for job interviews announced Monday they've got a new location.

Dress For Success made the announcement on Facebook.

The nonprofit’s former location, at 1215 North Western, was set on fire Saturday following a night of riots in Oklahoma City.

Windows are now boarded up and chards of glass and burned debris remain on the ground. It was once difficult for Vice Chairman Necie Black to drive by the old building.

“It is kind of like your house, when you move out of your house and you have so many great memories at that house,” said Black. “You'll drive by and go 'oh the memories.'”

Dress For Success is now bringing those old memories into a new house downtown thanks to the help of volunteers like the Robinson Park Property Management Company and Newmark Grubb Levy Strange Beffort.

Black is excited for the possibilities.

“Just walking into this open space and looking at the potential and the possibility of how we can put our own stamp on it,” said Black. “How we can make this into what we want for our clients.”

The nonprofit isn't announcing where they're moving just yet, but said it is on Main Street, close to public transit.

“We’ve had a lot of people offer to donate commuters and stuff so that career center will be larger,” said Black. “It has just been tremendous brainstorming new ideas (and) new programs that we can incorporate into our new space so we can serve.”

Some of those new ideas include partnering with OSU-OKC, even offering some sort of day care for children while mom is training or being suited up.

In a lot of bad, this nonprofit said, they've been overwhelmed with good.

“Nothing is going to stop us, nothing is going to detour us,” said Black. “So, if your motive was to defeat our mission, that's not happening.”

Taber Homes has offered 17 locations where donations can still be made to Dress For Success.

There is no timetable yet on when the new downtown location will open.