Owner Tami Perman arranges dresses in her store, Doria's, on Tower Avenue in Centralia on Friday afternoon.
Doria’s opened shop at 302 N. Tower Ave. in Centralia last week. The store carries more than 12,000 items including formal wear, jewelry and shoes.
Doria’s owner Tami Perman ran a store in Olympia for 12 years before moving her business to Centralia. She said Centralia offered more space and free parking for customers.
“And we are in the cutest town ever,” Perman said.
Perman said she also likes having O’Blarney’s Irish Pub across the street because men would frequently ask her why she didn’t have a seating area where they could watch sports at her Olympia location.
“They’re going to love it here,” she said.
Perman’s shop provides formal wear for weddings, proms, military balls, cruises and other events. The shop includes a Doria’s line of dresses.
Perman also does alterations and bead work.
“It’s one-stop shopping,” she said.
“I think it’s great,” said neighboring business owner Judee Smith, of Timeless Treasures and Company. “I often have people coming in looking for things like she has. She came at just the right time for prom.”
Perman told The Chronicle her store is different from other stores because no one works on commission and her employees know the stock well enough to properly advise customers.
“We kind of make them our Barbies and we keep bringing them dresses until they love one,” she said.
Doria’s has a large open dressing room where customers can interact.
“My dressing room here is almost the size of the old store,” Perman said.
“Everyone sort of interacts. I’ve seen women leave the store, have lunch and become great friends.”
Perman said she has had steady business since she opened.
“It’s always crazy but it’s normal,” she said.
Perman said customers have traveled from places like Seattle and Wenatchee to shop at Doria’s.
“I was worried about people driving the distance, but they said they’d come and they are,” she said.
Doria’s is currently gearing up for prom and the summer wedding season.
“All of our new stuff for prom is starting to roll in now that our move is over,” Perman said.
Perman said she appreciates having time to connect with her customers even though she is often awake sewing until 4 a.m.
“When I get here and see all of the smiling faces, it makes it all worthwhile,” she said. “We really try to make it fun.”
“I think it’ll be a fun store and a nice addition to our town,” Smith said.
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Amy Nile: (360) 807-8235
