Three sisters set aside a dressmaking rivalry to kick coronavirus butt
LOS ANGELES - For years, the Cerpas sisters engaged in friendly competition. All three ran their own dress shops, the eldest from her home in Corona, Calif., and the two youngest just a block away from each other in downtown Santa Ana's 4th Street district.
They sold gowns marking life passages: baptisms, communions, quinceaneras and weddings. A few years ago, Lilia Cerpas, the middle sister, opted to stand out from the rest and added the word "boutique" to the end of her shop's name to lure a more affluent clientele.
But in mid-March, business dried up for the sisters as the coronavirus spread to Southern California. Lilia Cerpas, 51, fielded calls from brides who had postponed their weddings. Mothers called off communions, birthday parties and
