Carmen stepping back after 48 years on main street

In 1959, Carmen and Gene Bruening, along with their two little girls, moved to Superior. Gene was hired by the Superior Schools to teach industrial arts and coach various sports. Carmen stayed home to raise their daughters and later their two little boys.

Neither Carmen nor Gene dreamed the impact they would bring to Superior, or the life-long friends they would make! While Carmen was busy with four children, she started a career as a talented seamstress. She seemed to always know how to fit her customer in the most flattering styles. She was soon in large demand.

All the while sewing for others, Carmen made time for her children. From the girls in gorgeous dresses, to Gene's suits and when the boys started playing golf, they had the latest style as well, which was colorful plaid pants. On occasion when she made herself a dress, it was elegant and timeless. Her granddaughter has worn two of the dresses to parties and weddings.

As a skilled carpenter Gene liked to make surprise gifts! He was as talented with wood as Carmen was with fabric and a sewing machine. Gene along with a few of his sturdy students, brought home a beautiful, and very large, sewing cabinet for Carmen. He designed it so Carmen could put her machine away whenever she wasn't using it. And it became a desk. Whoever would have imagined she would sit at it creating beautiful clothes, and continue to use it as her desk, even to this day.

Through the years of sewing for Superior and neighboring towns' residents, she developed long-lasting friendships. It would take two more pages of her story to name them all! Some are gone now but will remain in her heart. Carmen made unique Halloween costumes for her family. She and Gene went to a costume party as the Hamm's Beer Bears! She made her daughter Beth a Jeanie costume from the television show I Dream of Jeanie. Barbara Eden would have been impressed! Another year Beth was Marilyn Monroe and her husband, Steve, was Elvis. She also helped Santa out by making him a new red suit. During the COVID pandemic she made numerous masks for anyone who needed one, not charging a cent for them. Carmen always comes prepared with a needle and thread. Just ask every one of her granddaughters who either needed a last-minute quick fix or a full remodel of their gowns right before walking down the aisle.

Carmen was a devoted Mom! Never missing a ballgame, golf match or school function. She even created homemade pizzas and froze those them for her children. Whenever her kids and friends came home from ballgames or the movies, they could just pop a pizza in the oven.

As fate would have it, the owners of the Superior Shoppe, Mildred and Lloyd Maxwell were looking for someone to run their fabric department and do alterations. A relative of the Maxwell's and good friend of Carmen, Esther Headrick, recommended Carmen for the job. The Maxwells went to Carmen to offer her the position. She started to work outside the home in 1967.

In 1974 the Maxwells were ready to retire and Carmen bought the Style Shoppe. Eventually she changed the name to Carmen's. Her logo was Carmen's: Home of the Perfect Fit.

Marge Mooberry put a section in the store with yarn and crochet string and accessories for both. In 1976, the Bruening family moved to the apartment above the store. It was built by Gene and decorated by Carmen. They still live there today.

Carmen was always willing to run down to the store to help a customer who might have forgotten a birthday or anniversary. Everyone knew they could count on Carmen! Carmen worked diligently to keep her customers happy and no one left the store without their clothes fitting perfectly.

Carmen hired Mary Ann Bates to help with alterations, notions, and fabric. She worked in the store for 40 years. During those years, the cement plant and Mid Am closed. Superior's population was dwindling. But Carmen never gave up. She worked tirelessly to keep her door open. When the men's clothing store closed, she started the tuxedo business, helping young men for prom and grooms for their weddings. It was brilliant move to help save not only the store, but Superior-the town she loved. Carmen was known for her terrific style shows. She knew her merchandise so well she never had to use cue cards.

Although her family called the open house Carmen's retirement, she calls it stepping down from upper management. She will still be in the store that became so much a part of her life. She gave it her heart and soul for 48 years! She truly is a remarkable woman! To quote her granddaughter, I can't wait for her many adventures yet to come

The store is managed by her granddaughter, Kirby Siebecker.