Newer is never better in downtown Centralia’s antique row.
At ground zero in the downtown shopping area, Dominic and Kathleen Ayala, new owners of Emporium Ayala, said the new business mission will be similar to the old: to repurpose and reuse secondhand nostalgia of yesteryear. Last month, the couple took ownership of the two-story, 7,500-square-foot antique and furniture shop formerly known as Ayala Brothers Furniture.
“A lot of times these days it’s the newer stuff that’s going to break,” Kathleen said. “Reusing items like quality furniture is important for both the environment and for your wallet.”
The Ayalas emphasize the shop’s eclectic nature, with 26 antique vendors and items ranging from a large collection of vinyl records and glassware to clothing and home decor.
Started by Dominic’s father, Juan Ayala, more than two decades ago with an emphasis on furniture, the shop has become one of several anchors in the downtown antique and secondhand scene. The Ayalas have plunged into rebranding and remodeling efforts in recent weeks. The changes go beyond just the business name, as they aim to attract an increasingly younger clientele of shoppers.
“We’ve been really trying to get the place to where it’s welcome to everyone of all ages,” Kathleen said. “I know younger people are getting more into thrifting and buying secondhand, so we’re trying to make it just a cool place to shop.”
Kathleen started on the transition last month as Dominic reintegrated back into civilian life after spending 10 years in the Navy.
The couple embraces the positive synergy that comes with proximity to other downtown antique businesses. Neighbors on Tower Avenue include Centralia Square Antiques, Timeless Treasures, Tower Avenue Antiques, The Shady Lady, Landlord’s Daughter Antiques and Urban Farmgirl Market.
Busloads of out-of-town shoppers occasionally descend on the downtown scene.
“Centralia has become quite the destination for antiquing,” Kathleen said. “And it takes all of us — when a busload of people comes down from Seattle, all of us shops downtown represent each other.”
With recent membership in the Centralia Downtown Association and other community involvement, the Ayalas are enthusiastic about the evolving entrepreneurial vibe downtown.
“Centralia has changed a lot since I went to high school here,” Dominic said. “There’s more younger people and the atmosphere has changed downtown — people are trying and doing. We’re just trying to bring in some fresh blood to the older antique row here.”
His father Juan Ayala has owned the popular La Tarasca restaurant on Main Street since 1997. Since 2001, the family has occupied the historic building that houses Emporium Ayala. This is just the latest chapter in an old book, Dominic said.
“The building was built in 1909 and it’s been many cool things over the years — it’s been a bank, and a speak-easy during prohibition. It’s been there throughout so much of Centralia’s history,” he said.
But with age comes challenges, and the couple has recently embarked on a long journey of repairs and updates, with the help of several family members.
“We’re cleaning up the old building — lots of stuff needs to be replaced, a metaphorical and literal fresh coat of paint and just getting the building updated,” Dominic said.
He recalls the focus of the business first shifting from furniture to a much broader selection around the time of the economic crisis of 2008.
“After the Great Recession not many people were buying furniture anymore, so as a shift for survival they started the antique mall,” he said.
The shop has seen clientele gradually shift to a broader demographic over the years. Drawn not just to Emporium Ayala but a variety of other downtown shopping options, patrons come from far and wide.
“We have a guest book up front and we see people from Wisconsin, Florida, California and Nebraska — they come from everywhere,” Dominic said. “It’s a place where people of all ages congregate. There’s a lot of quirky stuff in here that has a cool story behind it.”
Emporium Ayala
Address: 305 North Tower Avenue, Centralia
Phone: 360-736-3390
Website: emporiumayala.com
