If you are looking for a hidden treasure, something that is one-of-a-kind, or a statement piece for your home, one local business might be the place for you.
The WAREhouse, located at 1352 South Holmes Avenue in Idaho Falls, is known for its refinished furniture, decor and market.
It opened in 2019 by four women: Kassie Traughber, Teresa Bush, Dawn Moldenhauer, and Audrey Henrie. They had been refinishing furniture separately but found themselves in a position to start the business.
“There’s four of us that split the main floor and we are just in charge of our own space as far as finding furniture, refinishing it, finding decor and getting it all set up and decorated,” Traughber said. “I get to almost like redecorate a house every week in a different way.”
There are actually multiple vendors at The WAREhouse, including The Plaid Buffalo, Handmade & Home, Box & Bramble, Two Old Bags, Huckleberry Designs, and Make It Mini. A variety of items are sold such as handbags, handmade jewelry, women’s and baby’s boutique clothing and accessories.
The WAREhouse is a group of mostly women (and one man) working together to create, inspire and empower each other, customers and families, according to its website.
“Our motto from the time we started is ‘empowered women empower women.’ We just wanted a space where local women could have their own business and run their own store,” she said.
Traughber said they typically have to travel to source the store with different types of furniture. They go from Jackson, Wyoming, to Montana and Utah, even to Las Vegas, Nevada. They shop locally as well.
“I get excited to go look for furniture because I never know what I am going to find and once I find it, then it will spark an idea. It’s literally a treasure hunt from the furniture to the decor to all of the things that we collect and put together. We never find the same thing twice. It’s pretty fun,” she said.
What’s in the store is unique and can lead to inspiration when it comes to picking out the perfect piece.
“If we come across antiques and things like that, we will try to restore them before we paint them. We take outdated furniture and refinish it so that there is not another piece of its kind out there,” said Traughber.
Traughber loves the creativity behind the work that she does and said beginning the business was her saving grace.
“I started refinishing furniture during a really bad marriage and it was a way for me to gain confidence. When people were liking what I was doing, it bolstered me,” she said. “Eventually, as I grew and grew my own little refinishing business, I was able to leave my bad marriage and support myself and my two little girls and start an entire new life for myself which is what The WAREhouse was born from.”
She said one of the women started in the business because her husband passed away unexpectedly and she needed something to help her get through it. Another one had a business fail and wanted income.
“So we all have these really cool interesting stories about how we all started and came together,” she explained.
Traughber said customers have talked about how they like the atmosphere at The WAREhouse. One couple came from Jackson and said it has “heart and soul.”
“That was the biggest compliment to me. They were trying to furnish their home and they came to Idaho Falls to purchase and she said, ‘I have been to every big box furniture store in Idaho Falls but I am missing the heart and soul of what I am looking for. I found you on Google.’ And she’s like, ‘I found it,’” Traughber recalled.
The WAREhouse is open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a live tour on Instagram every Wednesday evening to show all of the new inventory.
Prices are mid-range. For instance, dressers are typically around $300. Most everything is under $500, Traughber said.
If you want to learn more about The WAREhouse, check out its website at thewarehouseidaho.com.
“If you are looking to furnish a home on a budget while still keeping the heart and soul of your space, then we are definitely the place to start,” Traughber added. “We are not cookie-cutter and our prices, you just can’t beat.”
