by Ashlynn Phillips
Dresses, dresses, and more dresses. Toss in a couple pairs of shoes and a wall of hats, and you’ve got Finders Keepers II. This designer dress boutique on 18 W. Main Ave. has everything from prom and bridal gowns to derby hats and custom-made earrings. Right now, Finders Keepers II is full of sparkly sequined dresses for the homecoming season.
“The best part about working here is helping customers find exactly what they are looking for,” manager Allyssa Heiskell said. “It’s so fun helping find that perfect dress and then putting the whole outfit together for whatever occasion it is.”
Dresses range from $59 to $500 and the store offers 25 percent off jewelry and accessories when a dress is purchased. Finders Keepers II has a sister store named Finders Keepers – Jewelry Galore, which is located on 309 W. 2nd Ave. This store has custom-made and vintage jewelry from many different time periods. The jewelry store has been open for more than 15 years and Finders Keepers II has been open for five.
Heiskell’s mother, Deena Caruso, is the owner of Finders Keepers and originally opened the store as an antique shop with vintage clothing.
“She had a knack and a good eye for finding good stuff,” Heiskell said. “When she opened the store, the jewelry was a big hit.”
Finders Keepers II participates in the fashion show at the Spokane Club, as well as the Red Cross Fashion Show. Also, 20 percent of their hat sales go toward the Ronald McDonald House.
“We also take part in the Pumpkin Ball, and donate 20 percent back to the charity when they purchase a dress,” Heiskell said.
Not only is some jewelry handmade, but Caruso designs many of the hair accessories as well. She creates flowery pieces, bobby pins, and headbands. The store also has an event tracking system.
“We keep track of the events going on in the area so that we won’t sell two of the same dresses to one event,” Heiskell said.
Lee Caruso, an employee of Finders Keepers II for the past six months, said the best part of working there is the people that come in.
“Most of the time the store is very energetic; there are a lot of people always coming in and out,” Lee Caruso said. “It’s so much fun helping hand pick things out for our customers.”
Not only does the store have dresses for homecoming and prom, but also bridal gowns and dresses for bridesmaids.
In March, Finders Keepers II starts getting dresses in for their busy prom season. Whitworth freshman Jeannette Potter got her dress there last spring.
“The girls working there helped us find dresses that they thought would look good, since they have such a large selection,” Potter said. “All the girls were so sweet and encouraging.”
Contact Ashlynn Phillips at aphillips15@my.whitworth.edu
$500 for a dress is a bit pricey. There are a bunch of nice little boutiques that offer unique styles at discounted prices, such as http://pearlposh.com for example. But nevertheless, that’s a very lux looking store!