‘The Tux Store’ Is Formally Open

Sheila Jones said she wanted to open a formal wear store that emphasizes customer service.

“Formal wear prices are going up, so I felt customers should at least feel like they’re getting their money’s worth,” Jones said. “I wanted to put the formal back into formal wear. People have gotten out of the meaning of the word `formal.’ Something like a wedding is as formal as it gets.”

Her new shop, appropriately called The Tux Store, recently opened at N9974 Newport Highway in Northpointe Plaza. She says her store offers “upper-end formal wear, with competitive prices.”

Jones said what sets her shop apart are the little things, from decor to an emphasis on personalized service.

“People are looking for help and advice when they come in,” she said. “They just don’t want the merchandise thrown at them.”

One of the services she offers is a video viewing area. The idea is to show tapes of weddings The Tux Store has provided formals for, so brides can make educated decisions about their own choices.

“A lot of women don’t want to go out on a limb,” Jones said. “This way, they can see what others have done.”

Jones said she decided to open the store at Northpointe because of the North Side’s growing population. She also hopes to open stores on the South Hill, in the Valley and in Coeur d’Alene.

“I think there’s a market for it,” she said. “People want to go into a store that gives them the look and feel for what they’re doing: a formal event.”

Two Lubrication Stations open

Lubrication Station, a locally owned oil change and lubrication maintenance chain, has opened two North Side shops, one at N2736 Division and another at W406 Francis.

Ron Griggs, head of operations for the company, which also operates a store on East Sprague in the Spokane Valley, said that in addition to oil changes, the business also services transmissions and all vital car fluids.