Every once in a while, thrifting gifts you a treasure that feels less like secondhand clothing and more like a secret handshake from the past. That is exactly how I felt when I slipped into a long, elegant black coat at a local thrift store and discovered a simple satin label stitched inside the lining that read:
Wells Evansville
The Vintage Label That Sparked A Local Mystery
No other brand name. No fabric tag. No care instructions. Just a name and a city, embroidered in silver thread like a whisper from days long gone by.
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I immediately put it in my cart without hesitation. At the checkout, this magnificent coat cost me a whole eight dollars.
I didn’t know much about the coat yet, but I knew one thing immediately. This wasn’t just a coat. This was a piece of Evansville history.
What The Wells Store Meant To Evansville Shoppers
After sharing it on Facebook, people began chiming in with memories and family stories. Wells, I learned, was a high-end women’s clothing store in Downtown Evansville. The kind of place where coats weren’t just bought, they were selected. Where fabrics were chosen for quality, tailoring mattered, and a winter coat could last decades…