Clothing store a destination in Wayne

WAYNE, Neb. (KOLN) - Swan’s Apparel has been around since 1919, and it continues to draw customers from all over northeast Nebraska.

“It was first a hat store,” owner Jen Claussen said. “They slowly started bringing in ready-to-wear items, and then over time, it just developed into a full-on ready-to-wear and accessories store.”

Shopping local is key to the survival of the store.

“It’s not only important for us, but for the rest of the community as well,” Claussen said. “We are so thankful we have a strong following in this area, and I do attribute a lot of that to the store’s rich history. It’s incredibly important for people to continue to shop small and local.”

“We get people from all over northeast Nebraska, but we also dip into South Dakota and Iowa being close enough by,” Claussen said. “One of the most fun parts of being in this store is having multiple generations come in together and everyone leaving with something. It’s also fun to hear stories of people who say they remember coming in with their mother or their grandmother. Just having that history is great.”

Swan’s Apparel specializes in women’s clothing, but across the street there is a store called “Swan’s for Men”. That store opened in 2017.

“There we offer a wide variety of everything from casual t-shirts to dress shirts and shoes,” Claussen said. “We are a destination in many ways, and that’s another thing that’s so fun. When we have individuals that come back to Wayne, or they are heading this direction, they specifically stop and say, I had to come in here.”

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