THE PAPER 35
th
Anniversar y
35 Years!
March 21, 2012
Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
Ellen’s offers big city boutique atmosphere in Downtown Wabash Yet another new business fills a storefront in Historic Downtown Wabash. by Danielle Swan DSmith@thepaperofwabash.com
On Jan. 25, Ellen’s – Dress to Impress opened its doors and began offering formalwear sales at 36 W. Canal St., Wabash. The store carries new and once-used bridal, prom and semi-formal gowns and offers tuxedo rental. The unique aspect of Ellen’s is the consignment service. Lisa Keffaber, owner of Ellen’s, began accepting consignment dresses on Facebook, and soon learned that there was a real need for this service in Wabash. “Over the years, I’ve watched my closets accumulate prom dresses and pageant dresses and I thought ‘I can’t be the only mom in this situation,” Keffaber said. “We only wear these dresses one time and they are perfectly good.” Keffaber accepts dresses that are no more than five years old and are clean and in excellent condition. She and the dress owner confer on the asking price, and she typically prices the dress at half to twothirds of its original purchase price. She and the dress owner split the selling price equally. She also accepts formal shoes on consignment. “I just want to help girls have that special dress on a budget,” Keffaber said. In order to make that happen, she offers exceptional customer service, many times searching for that specific item that a customer
wants. Ellen’s bridal gown inventory is mostly consignment dresses, many of which were sample gowns at bridal stores. “My most expensive dress right now is $500 and there aren’t very many of those. Most of them have never even been worn,” Keffaber said. Another important facet of Ellen’s is tuxedo rental. “People were to the point where they had to go out of town to rent a tuxedo so I’m bringing that in for them as well,” Keffaber said. For prom-goers, Keffaber has spoken with area schools and will visit each school the Monday after prom to give her renters the opportunity to return their tuxedo without having to come into her
store. “They won’t have to drag their tux back in here and sit and wait, they can just dump it on the table at the school and be done,” she said. In addition to clothing and shoes, Ellen’s also offers jewelry, custom garters and Lil’ Bow Chic’ Designs handmade hair accessories and bridal veils. Find Lil’ Bow Chic’ Designs at w w w. l i l b owch i c d e signs.etsy.com or on Facebook at Lil’ Bow Chic’ Designs. Keffaber selected Downtown Wabash as the location in which to open her storefront for Ellen’s. “I just feel like Downtown is coming back to life and I wanted to be a part of that,” she said. “I also wanted a boutique feel and you just don’t get that in a strip
mall. I just wanted that quaint atmosphere.” After deciding on the location at 36 West Canal Street, Keffaber got to work remodeling the rooms. “We pretty much did a total remodel. Donny Radabaugh and his crew and Bob Mullett did a lot of work – new floors, new walls, paint, light fixtures. My landlord is Doug Lehman and he has just been wonderful and very accommodating and helped me put it all together,” she said. The end result is a cozy and elegant boutique with wood floors, track lighting, attractive displays and a dressing room (continued on page 8)
Two inmates escape from Wabash County Jail
SHERIFF LAND
“I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY,” said Lisa Keffaber, who now operates Ellen’s – Dress to Impress. Her store offers new and once-used formalwear, tuxedo rental and various accessory items. (photo by Danielle Swan)
Two Wabash County Jail inmates escaped from the facility at approximately 2:18 a.m. on March 17. Both were trustees at the jail and were on a work detail in the garage area at the time of the escape. Chance Hanaway, 48, and Aaron Perry, 28, were incarcerated on charges of
Index Classifieds ....................28-31 D&E..............................22-23
Weekly Reports ............12-15
ELLEN’S – DRESS TO IMPRESS, 36 W. Canal St., Wabash, opened for business on Jan. 25. Owner Lisa Keffaber chose Downtown Wabash as her location because she loves the area and wanted to be a part of its restoration and revitalization. (photo by Danielle Swan)
theft. Both inmates were wearing jailissued clothing and video evidence shows both traveling west on Main Street from the Jail. According to Wabash County Sheriff Bob Land, the department received information from the Peru Police Department that the suspects were seen at a Peru residence at approximately 10 a.m. The resident did not notify law enforcement until approximately 2 p.m. because of fear of retaliation. Officers from the Wabash County Sheriff ’s Department and Peru Police D e p a r t m e n t searched the area with no results.
Perry is 5’9” and weighs 165 pounds. He has a shaved head and hazel eyes. Hanaway is described as being 6 feet tall, weighing 206 pounds. He is bald and has green eyes. “We have our deputies working all the leads that come in,” Land said of the investigation. “At CHANCE HANAWAY this point, they are still out there.” The investigation is continuing and interviews are being conducted at this time. Anyone with information should call the Wabash County S h e r i f f ’ s Department at 260563-8891 or call the CrimeStoppers helpline at 260-563AARON PERRY 5821.
In Memoriam Samantha Anderson, 43 Margaret Baker, 65 Marcella Bever, 93 Russell Farley Jr., 85
Glendora Hamilton, 87 Nancy Hoerdt, 71 Sheryl Mylin, 54 Agnes Schultz, 88
Vol. 35, No. 1 Audrey Thompson, 88 Graden Walter, 73
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326