J. Jones Evening Wear has opened its first Pennsylvania location at 660 Washington Road, bringing size-inclusive offerings, high-end designers and a highly personalized shopping experience to the heart of the walkable business district.

After more than 15 years building one of West Virginia’s largest formalwear destinations, owner Jill Jones said Uptown Mt. Lebanon offers the visibility, foot traffic and sense of community she was seeking for the brand’s next chapter.

“I love the idea of the shopping district,” she said. “We have pretty dresses — they make beautiful windows. I needed somewhere with traffic, and I think the area is going to absolutely love it.”

The new location also represents a homecoming for Jones, who grew up in South Park and began her career in the South Hills bridal and formalwear industry.

“I couldn’t wait to be back,” Jones said. “There’s just no other presence of a store to the caliber of what we have anywhere in the South Hills area.”

Unlike the brand’s more than 10,000-square-foot flagship in Weirton, the almost 3,000-square-foot Mt. Lebanon store offers a more intimate environment designed to feel elevated and personal.

“The store is almost all black —  gorgeous, very high end, luxe finishes. I think the South Hills customer is going to love it and appreciate it,” Jones said.

The Washington Road location carries prom and homecoming gowns, mother-of-the-bride dresses, pageant and custom couture styles, social occasion wear, boutique clothing and accessories, as well as tuxedos, suits and dinner jackets.

Designers available include Jovani, Tarik Ediz, Ashley Lauren, Ava Presley and Rachel Allan, along with exclusive pieces from the brand’s private J.Jones label, produced directly through factory partners.

Gowns at the Mt. Lebanon store start at $299, with the median prom gown typically falling between $500 and $700.

Jones said inclusivity has always been central to the brand’s mission. The Mt. Lebanon store stocks sizes triple-zero through 34 and maintains a strict dress registry to prevent students from wearing identical gowns to the same school event.

“With social media, a girl doesn’t want to show up in a dress 10 other people already posted,” Jones said. “That exclusivity is a huge advantage.”

Managing the Mt. Lebanon location is Jess Sperlazza, a longtime J.Jones team member who joined the company in 2020 after more than a decade in retail. Sperlazza said the store’s defining feature is its customer-first mindset.

“If I can walk out at the end of the day knowing that I made somebody smile or feel beautiful about themselves, then I’ve done my part,” she said. “Everybody has insecurities. If I can make a difference for someone to feel good about how they look and how they feel, that matters.”

She said that philosophy extends to the entire staff.

“Our customer is No. 1,” Sperlazza said. “They matter, they always will and they always have.”

Jones echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that shopping for a gown should feel memorable.

“I can remember what the store smelled like when I bought my prom gown,” Jones said. “We want it to be the same way for these girls.”