Fifteen years ago, Summer Hightower was selling her handmade adornments out of a vintage suitcase at roller derbies. Last month, she took a “leap of faith” and opened her second retail location, Veda Lux, The Reliquarium, at 114 S. Madison in downtown Spokane.

“A lot of people knew me from back then,” Hightower says.  “It’s been a pretty wild ride.” 

The Reliquarium opened in early April. The 1,400-square-foot space is located on the main floor of the Hotel Indigo building, in what's known as the old Otis Hotel building, and previously housed A Modern Plantsman. 

Hightower and three employees operate both shops. The Reliquarium is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6, and Veda Lux Boutique is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 to 6. Both locations are open by appointment for personal shopping and styling.

The Reliquarium sells a variety of curated items, including high-end vintage gowns, candles, handmade jewelry, gemstones, soaps, handbags, home decor, and other eclectic items. 

“I source things from all over the country,” Hightower says. “Everything in my store is handpicked and curated. I spend hours and hours a day looking for really cool artists to support.”

Veda Lux Boutique, Hightower’s first retail store, is a 225-square-foot building located in a former post office building at 1106 S. Perry.

Nicknamed The Dollhouse, the small store specializes in casual vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, and items carefully selected from over 70 female artists nationwide. The 15-year-old vintage clothing store opened in July of 2010.

The name Veda Lux came from a vintage watch she owned by a company called Veda, and Lux is derived from luxury, Hightower says.

The stores carry similar products, but each offers a distinct atmosphere, says Hightower.

“I feel like people go to Veda Lux in the Perry District for dopamine,” she says. “It’s very bright and cheerful and colorful … you go there for a little pick me up.” 

The Reliquarium, on the other hand, is a bit dark and moody, Hightower says.

"It's more like an encyclopedia of vintage relics," she says. "It's highly curated from all eras. It's very eclectic, Victorian, and gothic. It's moody. People come because it's a calm space."

Hightower says she wants to maintain distinct identities for the two stores to encourage people to explore each retail space.

She says the new space is an upgrade.

“I always wanted windows because on Perry I have no windows,” Hightower says. “And I never had dressing rooms. It’s such a glow up.” 

Both stores specialize in vintage clothing, which can be seen on multiple mannequins during store hours outside the Perry Street store, Hightower says.

‘It’s just to give us a little curb appeal and let people know we are open,” she says. “Otherwise, people will ask ‘What is this? Is it a house?’”

Veda Lux also offers personal shopping and styling services out of both locations.

“If someone comes in and they say, ‘I’m going to Coachella this weekend,’ we pull stuff from the warehouse,” says Hightower. “Our whole team is great at styling. If people are going to a masquerade at the Fox, we pull out vintage gowns.”

The decision to open a second store was driven by a consistent decline in revenue since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"People were not wanting to spend money last year," Hightower says. "So I opened this store to strengthen my brand." 

To navigate the pandemic, Hightower and her team found innovative ways to maintain the shopping experience.

They dropped off vintage suitcases filled with items for people to try on with a list of items to mark off after purchasing. They also made baskets, priced between $40 and $150, that they would sell online that included her signature, handmade jewelry.

Hightower, after spending her time in a corporate job, says the idea to open a vintage clothing store was inspired by both her love of fashion and her grandmother.

“I just sat down one day and said, ‘I’m going to open my little dream store,’” Hightower says. “I didn’t have a business plan. I just had a dream and a drive to make something unique in Spokane.”

Born in Hawaii, Hightower moved to Spokane with her mom when she was seven years old. She says her grandma, who helped raise her, inspired her style.

“She always had the craziest outfits on … she always had red lipstick on, and always red nails. She would rock the bikini tops and Levi Daisy Dukes,” Hightower says. “She would wear her big ol’ 70s glasses and drove a hot rod. Those were goals.”

Hightower, who started Veda Lux with her own personal collection of clothing and collector-estate rings, says she grew up around a lifestyle of collecting eccentric, unique things.

“It’s always stayed with me,” she says. “I told myself, ‘I’m just going to open up (the store) and see what happens.' And 15 years later, I have a second baby.”

In the future, Hightower plans to add a tea shop, workshops, and floral section.

Small Bites:

*Alpine Deli, located at 417 E. Third in downtown Spokane, announced it will be permanently closing on May 17. The German specialty deli and market originally opened as Hoerner’s Meats on North Division Street in 1976. The company relocated to its current location in 1988. Andrea Lejeune-Weiler has owned the market since 2019. Lejeune-Weiler is exploring the idea of selling her most popular bakery items from home but says nothing is confirmed yet.

*BuyWander Inc., the Spokane-based online auction company located at 12606 E. Sprague, has opened its warehouse to in-store shopping. Wanderbins launched on April 28 and is open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

*The Spokane Valley Event Center, located at 10514 E. Sprague, has changed its name to The Venue. The 8,000-square-foot event space has been renovated and can seat 450 dinner guests, and up to 600 guests for presentations.