MOSES LAKE — With a smile, sales clerk Molly Crow tells of helping customers find affordable wedding dresses at The Calico Cat Thrift Store.

Crow insisted a woman try on the two-piece strapless ivory gown at the Moses Lake store before driving to the Tri-Cities to dress hunt.

“She cried,” Crow says. “It fit her perfectly.”

Formal gowns were previously placed with other sales items, which includes a hodgepodge of books, casual clothes, dishes and knickknacks.

But now, Crow gets to focus on fancy dresses when a new section of the store opens at 9 a.m. Monday, which is called “The Calico Cat’s Kitten.”

The new section will feature wedding dresses and formal wear. Other items include bridesmaids’ dresses, wedding veils, crystal and some shoes. Crow will handle dress alternations.

The grand opening is set for all day on June 22. Door prizes, coffee and cookies will be available.

They hope to someday add tuxedo rental to the non-profit store, which helps fund the Humane Society.

“I love people and I’m just praying for the best,” Crow commented.

More than a year ago, she was sorting clothes at the store and came across formal dresses.

She mentioned to her boss how neat it would be to have a larger room to display formal gowns, Crow said. And more space was eventually freed up next door with the closure of a beauty shop.

At the time, she wanted to help girls find prom dresses who can’t afford paying full-price. She tested the idea by talking to some friends at her church.

From their responses, Crow said she expects to be busy.

“More than I ever prayed for,” she says.

Recently, the store received many smaller-sized wedding dresses, The Calico Cat Thrift Store Manager Twyla Henderson said. Some larger dresses are expected to arrive on consignment.

They will probably offer sale and rental for all dresses and ask people if they want to sell their dresses on consignment, she said.

She expects some girls celebrating quinceanera might want to wear a wedding-type dress, she said.

The new section’s finances will be run through The Calico Cat Thrift Store and also be considered a non-profit.

“We’re basically trying to fill a hole for a need we have,” Henderson said.

The Calico Cat is located at 413 W. Third Ave., Moses Lake.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m., Saturday.

For more information, call 509-766-0390.