Ivory Room founder wins Wooster entrepreneur award

Main Street Wooster announced the debut of a new award recognizing exceptional small business achievement and community impact in downtown Wooster: the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

This was one of the honors presented during Main Street Wooster’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, where community members, business owners and local leaders gathered to celebrate the continued growth and vibrancy of downtown Wooster.

The Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award, co-sponsored by the City of Wooster, was created to spotlight newer businesses that are not only economically successful, but also contribute to the social and cultural life of downtown. The award recognizes innovation, commitment to downtown presence and positive community impact.

Carrolyn Salazar, owner and founder of Ivory Room, was selected as the inaugural recipient of the honor. The award was presented by Joel Montgomery, the City of Wooster’s director of administration.

“The city has benefited significantly over the years by having a strategic partnership with Main Street, and we view our collaboration on programs that benefit the downtown as an investment in our community,” Montgomery said. “The Ivory Room exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurial investment that this award recognizes, and it provides tangible benefits to help ensure ongoing success.”

In addition to $5,000 in prize money, Salazar also received a custom marketing package from the Marketing Engine, a $5,000 value.

Master of Ceremonies Luke Martin interviewed Salazar, and she shared her story in front of the sell-out crowd. In 2022 Salazar opened Ivory Room, a bridal boutique on East Liberty Street in downtown Wooster, with a vision of creating a unique and personalized retail experience that celebrates style, confidence and community connection.

Since opening, she not only expanded the size of her venue to more than double, but also launched her own line of wedding gowns. The Tullyse Collection is a private collection exclusive to Ivory Room customers.

Since opening, the Ivory Room has become known not only for its carefully curated collection of designer gowns and accessories, but also for its emphasis on creating memorable experiences for brides and their families. Customers from coast to coast have praised the boutique’s warm, appointment-only service and attention to detail.

“I get so excited when brides book with me because I know they’ll be spending time in downtown Wooster to shop, dine and even stay the night,” Salazar said. “It’s important to me that the economic impact benefits many businesses downtown.”

Salazar partners with a variety of local vendors — from flowers to doughnuts and restaurant packages — to create a synergy that benefits other entrepreneurs.

“Carrolyn’s commitment to creating an inviting, experience-driven business and her dedication to downtown Wooster truly exemplify the spirit of entrepreneurship we hoped to honor with this award,” said Shannon Waller, executive director of Main Street Wooster. “Her success not only brings clients from all over the country into our downtown, but it also adds to the cultural richness and community character that make Wooster special.

“When we envisioned this new award, we immediately thought it would be of interest to the City of Wooster, which has economic development and the support of entrepreneurs included in its Comprehensive Plan. We were right. They not only helped us create the criteria for the nominations, (but also) they provided half of the prize package.”

“There were some amazing business owners to consider for this award,” said Jonathan Millea, the city’s development coordinator. “We had to forget what we personally knew about the candidates and focus solely on the strength of the nominations. It was still very competitive, and we ended up selecting two runners-up to receive the custom marketing package: Carly Styer of Olive Lane Oils & Vinegars and Katy Caskey of SUNNY Boutique.”

The event’s lead sponsor was Bogner Construction. Gold sponsors included the Marketing Engine; Woo and WayCo; Wooster Color Point; Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston; and Freeman Building Systems. The silver sponsors were Main Street Bank, Meaden & Moore, Pat and Patty Neyhart, the Vaidya family, Western Reserve Group and Westfield Bank: A Division of First Financial.