Two fires, one bank building and a new name
The prom racks at The Vault Clothing Co. hang inside what used to be the Mitchell National Bank, a building with a long story of its own. The business started out in consignment and grew into new clothing and formalwear.
2010
Opens as Tickled Pink Boutique, a consignment shop
2014
A November fire in the apartments above the old store forces a move
2016
Reopens in October after the second fire
2023
Renamed The Vault after twelve years as Tickled Pink, with men's clothing and accessories added late in the year
After the first fire, the owner bought the former bank, and carpenters had the remodeled 1900s building open five months later. The second fire was started by a dehumidifier in the basement after a flood from next door.
So the store on Main Street, the same street as the Corn Palace, is now a full family boutique: women's, men's, kids' and baby clothes, shoes, gifts and name brands. Prom is the formal side of the business, and the store says that selection grows every year.
Designers and price points in The Vault's prom section
The Vault's prom section is organized by designer. The deepest lines are Sherri Hill, La Femme, Rachel Allan, Primavera Couture and Amarra, with Dave & Johnny, Ava Presley and Alyce Paris styles mixed in. Sizes run from 000 to 24.
- $250 About where prom dresses start
- $400 The average, per the store
- $1,000 About the top of the range
Layaway is built for the school calendar.
To start
A $100 payment holds the dress
Along the way
Payments whenever it suits the family
30 days before prom
The balance is due
All formalwear sales are final, and partial payments are not refundable or transferable to another dress, so it pays to be sure before putting a gown on hold.
For Mitchell High School students, the layaway timing works well: a gown picked over winter break can be paid off well before spring. Mount Vernon, Ethan and Plankinton students in east-central South Dakota are all a quick drive from Main Street.
The store is also clear that a dress it orders for a customer belongs to that customer, so a special order is a firm commitment.
How prom appointments work at The Vault
A booked prom visit runs like this.
A booked prom visit at The Vault (a guide)
First
Pick an hour-long slot online
Then
Pay the $20 deposit. It is non-refundable but becomes credit toward the prom dress you buy, and the slot is not held until it is paid
Then
Arrive with a small group, since space near the fitting rooms is limited
Last
Pull five dresses to start, keep two in the room at a time, and keep going if you want to try more
Appointments are not required. Walk-ins are welcome during regular store hours, take dressing rooms first come, first served, and skip the deposit. The catch is January. The store warns that the fitting room tends to have a wait that month, so weekday visits are the better bet in January, and Saturdays stay busy all season. Bring the shoes you have already bought if you can, and come prepared with undergarments, which the store requires for try-ons.
Brides will need to look elsewhere. The store answers the wedding gown question in two short sentences.
No. We only carry prom dresses.
Questions Mitchell families ask about The Vault
Is The Vault the same store as Tickled Pink?
Yes. Tickled Pink Boutique renamed itself The Vault Clothing Co. after twelve years, at the same Main Street bank building, and added menswear at the same time.
What size range does the prom section cover?
Prom gowns run from size 000 to 24, with an average price of about $400.
How does the $20 prom deposit work?
It reserves your fitting room for an hour and comes back as credit on the prom dress you buy. It cannot be applied to other merchandise.