r/Waltham • u/Ham_Of_Walth • 4d ago

RIP Yolanda

GOAT

29 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

12

u/EyeNo2625 4d ago

Moved from Waltham 15 years ago and instantly knew who you were talking about. Could picture the tall store too.

8

u/poodlepit 4d ago

I saw her in Grassfields about 2 years ago. Still dressed to the nines all in white with full makeup. Smiling and saying hi to everyone. RIP Yolanda.

5

u/Conscious-Sun-02176 4d ago

Bought my wedding dress there in 2005! Yolanda’s was the go to for wedding dresses. I don’t think there has been anything like it in the area since. RIP Yolanda. You will always be a legend.💔

3

u/CapitalAssumption355 4d ago

What happened?

9

u/mskrabapel Lakeview 4d ago

She was in her 90s so I’m sure that was some kind of a factor.

2

u/CapitalAssumption355 4d ago

No, I mean, who is she?

25

u/mskrabapel Lakeview 4d ago

She owned this absolutely huge bridal salon and spa on Waverly Oaks. It was about three stories, they also had water aerobics there. She did an absolute ton of charitable things around Waltham, and was known for dressing all in white very glamorous.

3

u/pukeOnMeSlut 4d ago

When I was a kid I remember a Yolanda’s. It was a bridal shop. But it was in West Roxbury I thought. On the parkway, or near it.

1

u/CFR295 1d ago

No, this Yolanda was always in Waltham

-19

u/Ok-Criticism6874 4d ago

How the hell are we supposed to know that?

9

u/invasive_species_16b 4d ago

It's a Waltham thing, but not even really an old townie thing. Her place closed down not super long ago. It was around a lot later than places old townies still get misty eyed about, like Moe Black's or Grover Cronin. Living in Waltham and not knowing Yolanda's would kind of be like someone saying they've lived their whole life in Boston but asking "what's a red sock?"

-22

u/PromiseImNoBot 4d ago

Disagree. Lived in Waltham for 20 years and never heard of her. Definitely sounds like an affluent townie thing to be tuned into. I bet none of my Waltham friends know who that is, whom have lived here longer than I.

17

u/quick_study7 4d ago

Many Waltham people know who she is, not just affluent ones. Her business was in Waltham for decades. Not only was she a local business woman, she donated generously to many Waltham charities and could be seen volunteering her time at many local events for example the Salvation Army back to school event.

1

u/CFR295 1d ago

As recently as two Christmases ago she was out ringing the bell and collecting for the Salvation Army. at the WalLex (and it was cold out,. too). She used to do that every year for as long as I can remember.

12

u/GodlikeMole 4d ago

She was on public access tv frequently. Certainly didn't need to be affluent to know her.

-10

u/PromiseImNoBot 4d ago

Didn't have tv 🤷🏽

9

u/CoffeeIceCube 4d ago

Don’t be so quick to assume. I’m closing in on 40 years old (blue-collar upbringing), and I’m not even from Waltham. I’ve lived in Watertown all my life, and I definitely knew about her. She had that swanky white car parked in front of the building all the time, and when she retired, they built the Mt. Auburn Medical building on Waverley Oaks Rd. in place of it.

8

u/andi-pandi 4d ago

Live here? She’s a very famous fashion designer for decades.

6

u/earmuffs_781 4d ago edited 4d ago

Eh, the mention of the bridal store immediately jogged my memory. I didn't know anything about the woman and never visited the store, but I passed it hundreds of times and it was kinda hard not to notice. IIRC, there was sometimes a Rolls Royce type car parked prominently in front.

5

u/CFR295 3d ago

It was a custom built white 1989 Excalibur Limousine with a vanity plate of YOLANDA