TRENDS DRESS SHOP CONTINUES RETAIL LEGACY OF DOWNTOWN CENTRALIA
Trends Dress Shop
618-918-3461
319 E. Broadway, Centralia, IL
Carrying formal retail items not commonly found in the area, Trends Dress Shop continues Centralia’s long history of featuring unique clothing shops in its historic downtown.
According to owner, Tisha Finney, her mission has always been to carry on that legacy.
“I am from Centralia, born and raised. I love my town, and that’s why I’m happy to be a part of it in this way,” said Finney. “I love seeing all of this old architecture, and downtown being brought back to life. It’s really amazing.”
“I remember being a little girl and going to [former downtown clothing store] B&G’s on Broadway with my dad. That was a really big deal for me,” Finney recalled. “Just to come to Broadway and do all of the window shopping; I want to keep that here in Centralia. That’s important to me.”
Finney said Trends originally offered a more standard selection of clothing items upon its conception 13 years ago but later transitioned to formal wear after she noticed a need in the area.
“We originally sold purses, tops, pants, and skirts, but it wasn’t paying the bills. About seven years ago, we switched to formal wear,” said Finney. “I saw the need here for formal wear, and that’s how I found my niche. There’s no retail formal wear in a 50-mile radius of me, so we’re kind of the hub for that in this area.”
Finney, a former career nurse, said she has made Trends her number one priority within the last two years, as she stepped away from her previous profession to run the shop full-time.
“I had a pretty serious injury that kind of pushed me out of the field,” she said. “I was blessed to have this business, and I have put all of my heart and soul into it.”
Finney also praised The Commonwealth and its owners the Fleeman family, for their inclusivity during the recent restoration of her store space.
“They are absolutely amazing,” Finney said. “They were constantly on the phone with me, walking me through every step. When it was just four walls and a bare floor, they allowed me to help decorate and decide where everything was going to. They really made me feel like I was a part of it.”
Finney said Trends is open 20 hours a week during the early summer months but will soon return to its standard Wednesday-through-Sunday schedule.
