Empress

Great store to hit on the way to Tahoe. Make a point to stop and do some shopping.
Years ago I stopped to find something to wear to a wedding and Carol had me decked out into the cutest outfit in about 20 minutes flat. Stoked.

I am a firm believer that every small mountain (or foothill) town needs an eccentric hippie shop; luckily, historic Placerville has Empress to fill that requirement. I haven’t been to Empress in YEARS and I’m glad to see it hasn’t changed. It’s the same cute and quirky shop I remember– it’s like Garden of Enchantment in Old Sac, but without the intense claustrophobia-​inducing cramped aisles.
Empress has plenty of hippie, bohemian, and bellydancing clothes (because I am a perennial sucker for a colorful twirly maxi skirt) and some really neat vintage finds. I particularly like their selection of antique lingerie– meow! There is also beautiful jewelry, scarves, accessories, home décor, incense, journals, and even a tiny area for adult-​themed gifts. The lady behind the counter was friendly and the prices were overall fair. Check Empress out!

I love this shop. I have been going to Empress for over 10 years and I love the henna packages they have. The clothing is adorable too, but I come for the random things they have along the wall on the left side. So many hidden gems in this store. I wish there was one closer to where I am now.

Such a cute shop with lots of very nice things. Fun to look at and explore every time I come to town. They have some very unique gypsy, belly dancing and goddess outfits. Its different every time I come in. Jewelry and candles. Incense and oils. They have a little bit of everything I think they have a seamstress that can make custom items as well. If you are next door getting a juice or food or are walking through old Placerville walk down a bout further and come browse through here on the way in or out… you won’t be disappointed.

For all you men! Its the one stop shop for the woman in your life! Friendly and helpful especially for a guy like me that is always at a loss for what to get my girl.

Beautiful shop with lots of irresistible treasures. The owner was so pleasant as well, I can’t wait to come back.

What a great treasure in the middle of Placerville! Carolina Smith, the owner, is passionate and adorable. Her store is full of beutiful unique treasures, gypsy clothing, lingerie, exotic jewelry and my personal favorite, a ton of mermaid stuff. I highly recommend stopping by and checking The Empress out. It will not disappoint.

What a great find! I was in Placerville to be a Gold Rush tourist. It is a beautiful old, historic town and I was pleasantly surprised to find this eclectic shop. What great fun clothes! Everything is glitter and sparkles with unique fabrics and original items. I love Bohemian shops and clothes and this one is above the rest. The owner is so fun and welcoming. You must stop in the Empress when in town.

I was lured in by the sparkly clothing in the window. There was a clearance rack in the front of the store and I immediately found a dress and a shirt that I had to have. This is not your typical thrift store, nor is it your typical retail clothing store.
This is your, «I’m a belly dancer that will eat fire and I need a perfect outfit to highlight my awesome talent» store.
Not that I’m a belly dancer or eat fire. I loved looking through all the pretty things they carry for those that do. The care they take in selecting good quality, unique items is obvious.
I found an adorable little 50’s style polka dotted dress that fits like a glove for $ 25.
The owner was very sweet and helpful. I will make it a habit to stop in as often as possible.

Empress is a must stop for Gigi and me, especially if we have out-​of-​town visitors/​nieces. It is a vivid burst of colors, textures and scents; a very special place indeed!
And Carolina (Carol) Smith, the owner, is a beautiful, talented, charming and extremely funny lady. Just meeting her would make your trip worthwhile!
Full disclosure: Although Gigi first met Carol while visiting Empress as a customer, Carol and her family have since become very dear friends.
So, if you’re ever in Placerville CA make sure «Empress» at 582 Main Street is on your «Things to Do» list. .. and Carol is on your «People to Meet» list!
Ben & Gigi Gay
WWW​.BFG3​.COM

The girls who work here are RUDE.
I have been in here 4 times now while on my lunch break and even though I smile and ask questions, I have yet to be acknowledged. They actually turn around and walk away.
The cloths are fun if overpriced, and it has a cool vibe being in a historic building.
Those things said, POOR COSTUMER SERVICE is the reason for the 1 star.

Empress feeds to the actress in me. It speaks to my inner goddess with it’s glittering, colorful, eclectic charms. It’s rose/​incense scent fills my nose with the possibilities of something beautiful every time I’m near. How can I resist visiting?
Tucked down at the end of Main Street, as if Placerville has a dirty secret to keep, this store offers something unlike the others. It ranges from candles to belly-​dancing clothing, paintings to flowered clips and 1950’s clothing to tailored outfits. It makes me wonder, «if Stevie Nicks and Betsy Johnson had a baby, would this be it?»
Empress is covered from head to toe in rich colors of the most random, yet appropriately fitting items, you might want.
The owner is a beautiful, vibrant woman who took great joy is helping my mom and I shop. She gave us great suggestions, showed off her latest Burning Man outfit creation, and was an overall pleasure to spend 20 minutes with. I love my new Tiger’s eye ring and the white feathered clip she suggested. My items together were $ 30. The prices here are reasonable, with nothing feeling unworthy of its price.
Thank you, Empress, for existing. Every time I’m in Placerville, I will return. You have added color and flair to the world!

Passing through Placerville and stopped at this beautiful shop!
The owner was so sweet! Prices were very reasonable. I had someone waiting in the car for me — otherwise — I could have spent several hours in here. Loved this place! Smelled wonderful too!

boho to the max. its like the 1970s are back! and they really are, with peasant blouses on runways, this store must be doing well. its just plain fun and good especially for younger women. indulge your inner hippy.

I love this shop! On my one and only stroll through Placerville (this past Christmas Eve) I happened into Empress. You can tell that the proprietor Carolina really enjoys sending folks off with something they’ll treasure. She was happy to hunt up a scarf in a particular color and make a deal for multiple purchases. The collection in this shop is empressive — I mean IMPRESSIVE! I don’t think I saw a glimpse of bare wall. I was with family and didn’t have much time and still walked out with 4 items I couldn’t leave without. Unique items for the bohemian-​chic at every turn. I can’t wait to go back! :)

Stopped in here only because I was walking my dog by the store. I liked smell of incense wafting from inside so I took a gander inside. I was captivated by bazillion items on the walls, hanging from the ceiling, on racks and shelves. It does cater to women but when the super friendly young lady appeared from behind a rack and said «good morning, you can bring your dog in if you’d like», I couldn’t refuse. There were so many cool things in here, everytime I turned around I saw something I had not seen yet. Great skirts (going to stop by for mom’s birthday present), incense, oils, henna tattoos, corsettes and the like. If you are looking for that Bohemian/​Hippie look, this is a place you should definitely check out. Shout out to the young lady who was so friendly and showed me around and let my dog come in the store! People are nicer in Placerville!

Empress is a cute, eclectic shop full of bohemian, belly-​dancing, gypsy inspired clothes and apparel.
Also, along the left hand wall, as you enter, there is a slew of different incense, candles, knick-​knacks, for your perusal. They carry a nice range of Amy Brown/​Jessica Galbreth style artwork in the form of prints, and cards, so it’s the perfect place to go if you need a gift for someone who is into the fairytale/​fantasy scene (or for yourself!).
The clerks are always friendly and helpful and there isn’t anywhere else that sells such a wide range of unique and interesting apparel in the area.