BIZ BITS: Formal wear experts move to new Moscow location

MOSCOW — Valerie Mesenbrink never tires of seeing the confidence young men gain just by putting on a suit.

“They get this big grin on their face and they stand a little taller and they just light up,” said Mesenbrink, owner of Black Tie & Pearls in Moscow.

That reaction is the same regardless whether the suit is for a bridegroom, an aspiring attorney, a college music student or an executive at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, said Mesenbrink, who recently moved her business from the Palouse Mall to the Renaissance Mall.

The new location at 670 W. Pullman Road is east of MOD Pizza and west of the Furniture Center, the store that has the oversized red rocking chair outside.

Black Tie & Pearls sells and rents men’s suits, tuxedos, shoes, shirts and accessories. It also sells wedding gowns, prom gowns and formal dresses, often for mothers of brides.

The business moved because it had been operating from two stores at the Palouse Mall, one for men and the other for women.

At its new shop, everything is in the same location, making it more convenient for not just Palouse customers, but those who come from the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley and as far away as Grangeville and Kooskia, Mesenbrink said.

It has three sitting areas, one near the women’s fitting rooms, another near the men’s fitting rooms and a third in the center of the store.

The layout lends itself to how staff likes to make selecting wedding gowns and attire for special occasions a fun experience for customers, Mesenbrink said.

The staff encourages couples preparing for a wedding to bring family and friends with them to help select what they are going to wear, she said.

It also has ample room for the many styles Black Tie & Pearls carries in bridal gowns, formals, tuxedos and suits, she said.

The expansion wouldn’t be possible without the loyalty of her customers, Mesenbrink said, many of whom make the store their first stop when they are selecting their outfits for events.

Black Tie & Pearls is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Mesenbrink recommends brides selecting wedding gowns to call (208) 892-9804 for appointments so a staff member can be assigned to them.

Lewiston’s new city attorney being paid $111K

Jennifer Tengono will earn $111,095 annually as Lewiston’s city attorney.

The Lewiston City Council approved her appointment to the position last week. A graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, Tengono served as a counterintelligence special agent in the U.S. Army from 2004-12. She’s also worked as a sheriff’s deputy for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

Tengono replaces Kayla Hermann, who accepted a position at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.

“I’m excited to have you have this position,” said Councilor Kassee Forsmann at the meeting. “You earned it. You’re always helpful in answering questions.”

TSA Precheck enrollment offered next month a Lewiston airport

A Transportation Security Administration Precheck enrollment event will be held from July 8-12 at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, 406 Burrell Ave., Lewiston.

Travelers can go through a process that streamlines security checks by signing up for appointments from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. on those days.

The cost to enroll in the program is $78 for five years. Applicants need to bring proof of identity such as a valid U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate and a driver’s license. Fingerprints and digital photos will be collected at the event for background checks.

Those who pay the fees and clear the background checks will be allowed to use dedicated screening lanes at more than 200 U.S. airports where they won’t be required to remove shoes, laptops, certain liquids, belts or light jackets.

Additional information is available at bit.ly/4ayIV94.