Pullman Boutique Devastated by Unexpected Flood

Lily Bee's Boutique, Bridal and High End Consignment suffers hundreds of thousands in damages after river overflows

Mar. 17, 2026 at 7:05am

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A Pullman, Washington boutique called Lily Bee's Boutique, Bridal and High End Consignment was severely damaged after an unexpected flood caused the nearby South Fork of the Palouse River to overflow its banks and seep into the store, soaking hundreds of garments and causing an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

Why it matters

The flood highlights the unpredictable nature of extreme weather events and the challenges small businesses face in recovering from natural disasters, especially when there is little to no warning or preparation time. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of the city's drainage infrastructure and emergency response protocols.

The details

Around 6 a.m. on Saturday morning, the boutique's owner Melanie Hodges' husband Alan discovered several inches of stagnant water inside the store, with dripping dresses and designer gowns damaged. The couple estimates they will have to individually hand-wash nearly 500 garments that can now only be sold as second-hand. City Administrator Sean Wells said weather gauges did not indicate the river would rise as high as it did, with water levels increasing 2 feet beyond expectations in just a 3-hour period.

  • Around 6 a.m. on Saturday morning, Alan Hodges discovered the flooding in the boutique.
  • Around 7 a.m., the South Fork of the Palouse River crested at 8.82 feet, just under the major flood stage of 9 feet.

The players

Melanie Hodges

The local entrepreneur and owner of Lily Bee's Boutique, Bridal and High End Consignment.

Alan Hodges

Melanie Hodges' husband, who discovered the flooding in the boutique on Saturday morning.

Sean Wells

The Pullman City Administrator, who said weather gauges did not indicate the river would rise as high as it did.

Joey Clevenger

A meteorologist with the National Weather Service Spokane.

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What they’re saying

“'Devastated' is the only way local entrepreneur Melanie Hodges could describe waking up to dripping inventory, soiled by the river that seeped into her store Saturday morning.”

— Melanie Hodges, Owner, Lily Bee's Boutique, Bridal and High End Consignment

“'He called me crying,' Hodges said. 'He said, 'Honey, we're done. They've destroyed us.''”

— Melanie Hodges, Owner, Lily Bee's Boutique, Bridal and High End Consignment

“'No one called, no one contacted us at all,' she said. '(The city) spent all this money building the drainage system infrastructure, and for what?'”

— Melanie Hodges, Owner, Lily Bee's Boutique, Bridal and High End Consignment

“'We had no idea that this was going to happen until it was on us,' he said. 'At that point, you just brace for impact.'”

— Sean Wells, Pullman City Administrator

What’s next

The city plans to review its emergency response protocols and evaluate the effectiveness of its drainage infrastructure to prevent similar unexpected flooding events in the future.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the vulnerability of small businesses to unpredictable natural disasters and the importance of robust emergency preparedness and communication systems to help protect local entrepreneurs and their livelihoods.