OXFORD, Mass. - Deb Mercure and Michelle Aronson run The Prom Closet, a one-stop shop for all things prom. 

“Our motto is sort of like, if all they have to do is buy the ticket, we’ve done our jobs," said Mercure. 

The pair started the boutique to help as many girls attend prom at possible. 

“We have dresses from size 0 to I think, 34. We have shoes that match all the dresses. We have different heights, different sizes. We have purses. We have jewelry,” said Aronson. 

At this business, you don’t pay for anything.

“I don’t care their financial situation,” Mercure said. “Come get a dress. All I ask is you return it."

The retired Southbridge High School teachers know all too well that the big night comes with an even bigger bill, putting many students in a tough position.

“We asked if they were going to prom and they were like 'no,' and it was because they couldn’t afford the dress, the shoes, the purse, the hair, the make-up, the nails and everything else that goes with the prom,” Mercure said.

It’s their sixth prom season matching girls with gently used gowns. They’ve helped teens looking to save money before college and even foster students.

“We were able to find an incredible dress for [one],” Mercure said. “She was crying because she didn’t think she was going to get to go to prom because she’s a foster kid, and asking a foster parent to pay $800 for a dress is not usually a thing.”

Mercure and Aronson sometimes use their own money to buy dresses, but they rely mainly on donations from the community and former customers.

Yes, we’ve bought some off Poshmark, which has been great. After prom season, they are cheap. But really and truly, a lot of the girls will come in with a dress and leave with a new one, which is great,” Mercure said.

Each time a girl walks away happy with her new dress, it's memorable to the proprietors in its own way.

“We’ve had girls look in the mirror and cry and say they look like a princess,” Aronson said. “That’s amazing.”

While everything is completely free to borrow for the night, they do ask for just one favor in return.

“They have to show us the dress. They can’t just walk out or get the dress without showing us. We have to see the dress, because that’s our payment, essentially. The smile and the 'thank you' and the gratitude,” Mercure said.

Since opening for the season two weeks ago, they’ve already loaned out more than 30 dresses. The shop is open Tuesday through Thursday and again on Saturday and Sunday at the Barton Center in Oxford. They ask you make an appointment before going to shop.