Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Left to right Kali, Whitney, Kyle, Monroe; laying Adisyn.
Truly You Clothing and More is set to have its grand opening April 13, providing shopping for ladies' clothing and accessories for multiple generations.
"This is a little dream of mine," said Whitney Bond, business owner who has been working to transform the former Events on Main café into the clothing store.
Bond plans to stock her store with the three Cs: comfortable, classy and casual. She described the clothes as classy casual and business casual for women. But where things go or what they morph into is yet to be decided.
"You have to be willing to hear from your people and accommodate what they want, within reason," Bond said. "We're about our people here."
Bond and her family have lived in the area for almost three years after moving from Roseburg, Ore.
On a visit to Colfax to work on wedding things with her aunt, Lannette Ring, Bond's husband was offered a job working for the Soncarty family. He started three weeks later and they moved their household and two children here.
"We love our little community," Bond said.
Bond saw a need in Colfax for more shopping and more clothing selection and the idea for Truly You was born.
"There are a lot of beautiful women on the Palouse," she noted.
She started to look for a building, but struggled to find the right location. Then pregnancy put her on bedrest. Instead of just putting her plans on hold, she started researching and meeting with people in the industry.
The time she was pregnant turned out to be a blessing as she learned a lot about how to choose and source vendors and mistakes others have made with similar businesses.
One of her biggest supporters has been Ring.
"Without her, I probably couldn't have done this," she said. Bond noted the example of Ring and how her business changed over the years to fit what people needed.
Ring is also the one who contacted Kari Rimbey at Bond's request. Rimbey owns the building that houses Henhouse Chicks and Bond kept looking at the building after the café closed. She asked if Ring knew the building owner and by that evening had Rimbey's number and left a message for her. The next day Bond and Rimbey met in the space, Bond shared her vision and before she left the deal was made.
"I was really excited about that," she said.
Bond noted that everything has fallen into place so seamlessly and easily, she feels it was meant to be. She has been working on cleaning and painting the store with the goal that when someone comes in they will not be able to tell it was once a cafe.
Since she wants her inventory to reflect demand, the store will not be completely full at the grand opening. As she gets to know her customers, she will fill up with what they want.
While it took her non-entrepreneur husband some time to catch her vision, her daughters Adisyn, 11, and Kali, 6, are anxious to work at the store.
"They have a love for clothes and fashion, too," Bond noted.
Monroe, 1, is just along for the ride.
Bond is fixing up the children's play area so women are comfortable bringing their children in while they shop.
Bond also plans to offer an exclusive VIP package for people to have the store to themselves and guests for a private shopping experience.
The April 13 grand opening will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a ribbon cutting shortly before opening. The first 20 people in the door will receive a surprise and refreshments will be served.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
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