Address: 4403 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127

Shaw Lewis opened her lingerie store Expect Lace in 2018 with the goal of body inclusivity in mind.

“I definitely wanted to cater to women who struggle finding their size,” Lewis said.

Lewis has been working in retail management and purchasing for 15 years and was displeased with the lack of bra sizes available in commercial stores. Expect Lace carries bra sizes 30A to 42J and offers in-person fittings as well as online service. 

Lewis intends to build her clients’ confidence and encourage them to embrace their sexuality through comfortable, everyday intimate items. She has recently been working on designing her own lingerie collection.

“We’re creating a collection of our own, and I think that process has been the most rewarding and exciting,” Lewis said. “I will officially be launching that this summer.”

Lewis hired college students for marketing internships the past three years, but is now expanding the opportunity to design interns. The internships offered, available through Handshake, range from 12 weeks to six months.  

“We will have an internship group actually create the designs from start to finish,” Lewis said. “They’ll get a chance to work with the manufacturer directly, so they have that hands-on experience with designing.”

The store began as a brick-and-mortar, but after a successful first year, Lewis decided to expand her sales online in 2019. The next year, the covid-19 pandemic affected the business because Expect Lace relied heavily on personal fittings. 

“We got through that hurdle, though, and were able to focus on building online,” Lewis said. “I would say, right after we reopened during covid-19, we were able to try different things marketing-wise, and it was a huge turnaround for business.”

Expect Lace won the award for Best Lingerie Store in Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best of Philly” 2021. The store was also featured in the Best of Intima magazine in 2022.

Shaw said these accomplishments were really important to her, and she is excited for what the future will bring for Expect Lace.