About Us

Welcome to Drees

We are committed to creating shopping experiences that enhance your home and life. We believe that Drees offers more than great products; we create traditions, nurture relationships, enhance homes, and provide a respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our unique product assortment includes exquisite gifts, home furnishings, decorative accessories, fine stationery and seasonal décor, all chosen with great care and a focus on quality and great design.
We stock a wide selection of products – and we believe there is something for everyone. Just like the care we take in selecting and artfully displaying our products, our knowledgeable staff takes a personalized approach to helping you select just the right gift, register for your wedding, decorate for the holidays, order fine stationery and invitations, or furnish your home. If it’s a box of chocolates or a bar of French-milled soap just for you, we have that too.

Located in downtown Olympia, Washington, since 1929, Drees is one of the oldest independent retailers in the U.S. Current owner, Ruthann Goularte, bought Drees in 1976 and moved back to her hometown of Olympia, Washington, to run this beloved store where she shopped as a child. Viewing herself as a merchant, she combines her background in art history and design and her extensive travels into a unique shopping experience. Ruthann’s husband, David Bettencourt Goularte, is a well-known interior designer with more than 40 years of experience. The couple collaborates on design and furnishings projects. For more information about David Bettencourt Goularte Interior Design, email designassistant@davidgoularte.com or call 360.754.2180.

Our History

Commitment to Community

Drees believes in contributing positively to the community. For more than 24 years, Drees has actively supported the Junior League of Olympia as well as other local charitable organizations. Drees’ owner Ruthann Panowicz Goularte is a founding member of the Junior League of Olympia and has served on the boards of the Northwest Chapter of the American Liver Foundation and the City of Olympia’s Parking and Business Improvement Area. She is also a Trustee of the Washington Governor’s Mansion Foundation, an active member of Seattle Art Museum Supporters (SAMS), and member of the Board of Directors, Thurston First Bank, Olympia.