Waldron in 1901 was home to two banks, one being the Bank of Waldron on the corner of Main and Danville streets. The second story was home to doctor’s offices and the first library. The building is rich with history as is all of downtown.
Walmart leaving left Waldron with a big hole. So many necessities now required a drive out of town, a minimum of a half hour one way. Ashley Imperialli saw the need for clothing in Waldron following the closure of Walmart in 2017, she began thinking on a consignment clothing shop.
Imperialli shares she knew someone needed to do better, “In March 2022, the Boys & Girls Club was having a Spring Fling Dance. I was shopping in town that afternoon when a woman and two young girls (probably a mother and her daughters, ages 6-8) were frantically looking for outfits for the dance. Later that evening, at the dance, I saw the same little girls wearing what looked like their mother’s clothing; probably 10 sizes too big for them, tied with rubber bands and in knots in attempt to make it somewhat fit. Her shoes were likely 10 sizes too big as well. Their outfit didn’t seem to bother them one bit, as they were having a blast, but it bothered me that our community had no options for this mother.”
Ashley says those that know her know she doesn’t complain without trying to find a solution. So she began the search for a building on Main Street for her vision.
After looking at a few places and not finding exactly what she wanted, she enlisted the help of everyone she could think of who might be able to assist her search.
Just before she gave up, she said her best friend told her she had found the perfect building, calling it fate. Imperialli said she didn’t know the owners, which is almost unheard of in Waldron. She formed a friendship with the sellers, and the old Bank of Waldron building began its journey into restoration.
The original Bank tiles are right outside the door, stepping through the original door customers are met with original tiling on the floor. The logo for The Vault pays homage to the rosette on the Bank of Waldron inlay on the outside of the building. Original marble is still on the walls, and the bathroom is untouched.
After taking ownership of the building in October 2022 the restoration began. The original vault, now a changing room, had some interesting additions added to it by previous owners. Imperialli said they had to spend about half their time in the small room due to the condition. On one side she described a rock tub or possible koi pond being built into the building. A sledge hammer was needed to remove it. The other side was home to some sort of bird cage, which was removed by the sellers. Now a nicely lit, spacious changing area, it has been given new life and new purpose with the original brick restored to its former beauty.
The beauty and history of the building was kept intact wherever possible. Ashley’s vision was to bring the building back to life with this new venture.
The Vault opened to customers on 12/9/2023. The customer who made the first purchase remembered going in when the building was a bank.
“The Vault’s goal is to provide high quality clothing and accessories for women, men, and children at an affordable price. Our community can, once again, enjoy affordable options for clothing and accessories without driving out of town.”, Imperialli explained.
Currently there are about 60 consignors working with The Vault, the floor is full and ready for shoppers. For the month of December the new business is doing a soft launch. Their hours are Thursday and Friday 11:00am – 7:00pm, Saturday 9:00am – 7:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00pm.
The days of walking down Main Street and checking out the businesses are coming back, be sure to give this place a visit and get ready for your next event or add to your every day wardrobe.
From Ashley “I’m extremely excited to bring a much needed business to the residents of Waldron. I’m equally excited to breathe life into a building of such historical significance in our town!”
Ashley Imperialli is the owner of the Vault, her daughter Summer, will be operating it. The completed the restoration with help of friends and family. There are plans to restore the second floor and use it as two Airbnb units.
