Sue’s Boutique owner announces retirement

MOSES LAKE — From the beginning, Sue’s Gift Boutique has been a true family business. 

“It was easy to work around with my kids,” said owner Sue Torrence. Her sons, Brian and Brent, grew up at the store, and at her late husband Les’ barbershop down the street — the barbershop Brent operates now. 

Torrence is retiring at the end of June, after 34 years on Moses Lake’s main street. She's only moved the business once.  

“I was, probably, next to my husband's barbershop for seven and a half years,” she said.  

Competition got fiercer, she said, and she decided to meet the challenge by expanding, moving to her current location at 212 W. Third Ave. 

“Great location,” she said. 

Gifts and home decor were her original focus, she said, but over time she branched out, adding clothing and shoes, among other things. The changes were part of doing business. 

“Everything changes — styles change, what (trend) is going on, what’s not going on,” she said.  

Many of the customers haven’t changed. 

“I have some customers who have followed me since day one,” Torrence said. “(Sue’s has) a lot of out-of-town customers — sisters, who come from Wenatchee and Spokane and meet here, (customers) like that. It’s fun. I have my regulars.” 

Many of the merchandise lines she carries also have been at the boutique since day one, she said. But changes are inevitable over time. 

“You never know what causes things to change, so you find something else, or adapt and go from there,” she said. 

In 34 years, there have been challenges. 

“Sometimes you think, ‘What did I order that for?’ But you make up for it with something else kind of fun. (The COVID-19 pandemic) was very much a challenge. You just work around it and do the best you can,” she said.  

While Torrence is retiring, the boutique will remain open. She had a discussion with new owner Lynn Nesmith about selling, but they hadn’t reached any conclusions. 

“Then she texted me, ‘I think I want to buy your store,’” Torrence said. 

She talked to her sons about it, who were in favor if that was her preference, she said.  

Knee surgery is one of the first tasks post-retirement, she said; she will be selling her house and moving into a smaller residence in the same neighborhood.  

“I’m going to do a little traveling. Do what I want to do for a while,” she said.  

There was a steady stream of customers Friday afternoon, some looking for gifts and others, as one customer said, just out shopping. 

“Looking at what I need, or don’t need but want,” she said. 

Some had seen Torrence’s retirement announcement and were stopping by to wish her well. One customer asked if she was ready for it, and Torrence said she thought it was time. 

“I’m excited. It’s bittersweet, but it’s all good,” she said.