Whether you’re trying to put together a nice new outfit, find that perfect pair of vintage used jeans or just looking for some stylish, locally made jewelry, The Cluttered Closet Boutique likely has what you’re looking for and more.
Originally opening in the now-closed Yard Birds shopping mall, Cluttered Closet is located in downtown Centralia. It is hosting a grand reopening event this weekend to celebrate a second move after leaving Yard Birds and coming under new ownership, according to co-owner Madison “Maddie” Horn of Centralia.
The Chronicle met with her on Tuesday, Aug. 20, to talk about how she and her family came to own and run Cluttered Closet along with previewing this weekend’s event.
“We bought it at the end of May in 2022 from Shelly, who started it, I believe, in 2019,” Horn said. “When she moved from Yard Birds, she was sick, and it started getting worse, and she didn’t have enough help so she just kind of had to take a break.”
Now, Horn runs the store in partnership with her mother, Michele Cope, her sister, Carlie Cope, and her niece, Harlee.
Horn stated the old owner was already moving out of Yard Birds prior to its permanent closure in August of 2022 after the building failed a Washington state Labor & Industries inspection and mounting unpaid utility bills led to the power in the building being cut.
“They knew it was done for,” she said.
Cluttered Closet then moved just next door to its current location next to Strange Lands.
“We kind of worked as a little community for about a year and a half. Then Strange Lands went out of business so that stopped. We then took over that as a back room hoping it would be enough space, but we still outgrew it,” Horn said.
Horn herself was already a local vendor selling in Strange Lands, and when she heard Cluttered Closet was up for sale, jumped at the chance to run a business along with her mother, which had always been a dream of hers.
The Cluttered Closet Boutique lives up to its name as Horn said the former owner over purchased a lot of stock. She estimated there were approximately 5,000 items in Cluttered Closet when they first bought it.
“Plus, she had a make-shift back room, and she had storage, too, and dropped that off with us, and that was probably 10,000 items there,” Horn said.
So when the Victorian and Steampunk Emporium next door moved to a new location further south on Tower Avenue, Horn and her family took the chance to move into the larger store space. Once the floor was redone and walls repainted, they moved in.
They didn’t keep everything that came with the business when they first purchased it, as some items weren’t up to the quality standards Horn and her family want to offer. Horn stated the goal is to have the store be considered a “high-end, second-hand discount boutique.”
The family washes everything they put on the racks at Cluttered Closet and also performs stain removals. And since they still do have so much stock, items are priced to move, with the store even having a 99-cent rack.
“We’ve moved in here, and we’ve already outgrown it,” Horn added.
Along with clothes, the old owner was fond of selling Victoria’s Secret perfumes and the famous PINK clothing line, and Cluttered Closet still sells it.
“She was really known for her Victoria’s Secret stuff, the PINK especially, so like the early 2000’s Victoria’s Secret PINK clothing, so we have a whole rack dedicated to that,” Horn said.
All the Victoria’s Secret perfumes they stock are brand new, as well.
Horn works with local vendors, as well, to sell everything from locally made soap and body care products to body jewelry and even custom-crocheted clothes.
She added other local artisans interested in selling what they make at Cluttered Closet are invited to reach out to her.
To help keep moving stock through the store, Cluttered Closet now offers weekend deals every week, with 20% off purchases offered to students on Fridays, to those ages 40 and older on Saturdays and to military service members, first responders and health care workers on Sundays and Mondays. Horn’s mother also currently works in the health care field as a respiratory therapist in Longview.
Deals of up to 25% off are also available for those who donate clothes, though currently Cluttered Closet is not accepting any children’s clothing donations as it doesn’t have room still. They also try to do a beginning of the month discount the first weekend of every month on certain items up to 40% off.
“Our slogan is, ‘Wear the best for less.’ My mom is very proud of that,” Horn added.
This weekend’s grand reopening event — officially dubbed the August Summer Sale Bash — will feature a major discount as well, with 50% off on all purchases from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25.
The event will also feature a raffle where, for every $10 spent, customers get one raffle ticket for a drawing giving away a $50 gift card to The Cluttered Closet Boutique.
Many of the local vendors will also be on hand, and food and drinks will also be available.
The Cluttered Closet Boutique is located at 529 N. Tower Ave. in downtown Centralia. For more information, follow Cluttered Closet on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3SYRTFh, or on Instagram, https://www.instagram. com/theclutteredclosetboutique/.
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