About Yesterday's Lady

Nestled in the historic downtown district of Beatrice, Nebraska is Yesterday's Lady. Better known as Susan McLain, Yesterday's Lady is the proprietor of the beautifully restored 1887 Schmuck building. Yesterday's Lady boasts a collection and knowledge of vintage clothing spanning nearly two centuries, from the early 1800's to the 1960's. Susan also hosts vintage fashion programs by appointment on the road as well as hosting private parties and tours in-house at her shop 5th Street Vintage.

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(402) 239-0919

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About Susan McLain

Susan McLain, better known as “Yesterday’s Lady,” lives with her husband in a historic 1887 building, with her vintage clothing ​collection and shop on the main level in downtown Beatrice, NE.

Sue has been collecting vintage clothing for over 30 years and has a wide variety of artifacts, ranging from the 1840’s through the 1970’s. As a Nebraska Humanities speaker, she has traveled the Midwest entertaining groups with a wide selection of fashion programs and shows.

Yesterday’s Lady aims to take you on a trip through time as Sue shares her love of vintage clothing. Sue’s guests learn about the fashions from the past and leave with a greater appreciation for why we should treasure these artifacts.
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In 2009, Images of America honored Susan by publishing her commentary to more than 200 photographs from Harvey L. Boston’s photography studio in David City, NE between 1900 and 1920; compiling them in a book entitled “Butler County: The Boston Studio Collection.

Programs & Tours

If you are interested in booking Yesterday's Lady to present any of the programs listed below or book a tour of her museum in the historic Schmuck Building, please fill out the form found in the "Contact Us" section at the bottom of this page.

 A CENTURY OF FASHION
A presentation of clothing styles and designs from 1870–1970. A discussion of American History's influence on clothing design with examples of hats and clothings from each decade.

THE VICTORIAN LADY
This program explores the changing fashions of the Victorian Era: from the crinoline of the 1850s to the hourglass of the 1890s. See how a Lady dressed from her unmentionables to her hat. Also learn about parasols, calling cards and hats.

DECADES OF BEAUTY
This program is a presentation of your decade of choice. You can choice between the following decades: ROARING 20s, GLAMOROUS 30s,  PATRIOTIC 40s, or FABULOUS 50s.
TO TOP IT OFF: THE HISTORY OF THE HAT
​Learn about the history of hats from the 1850s through the 1960s. Includes a display of different hat styles and designs that were popular in each decade.
THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS
This programs takes a glimpse at the LBD beginning with the Victorian black mourning costume to Coco Chanel's Ford and ending with Audrey Hepburn's iconic style in Breakfast at Tiffany's. ​
FASHIONS FOR ROMANCE
A wonderful display and history of undergarments and sleepwear from the victorian whites to baby dolls of the 1960s.
GRANDMA'S APRON
A look at works of art from the 1900 through the 1960s that have special ties to our mothers and grandmothers. A standard staple of every woman's wardrobe.
BACK TO THE BEACH
Display of swimwear from the modest Victorian era to the fun 1960s. Come and see the changing fashions for the beach from each decade, along with sunglasses and footwear for the beach. 
FROM THIS DAY FORWARD...
Wedding fashions from the 1900 through the 1970s. Beautiful wedding attire from each decade is on display.
AN UPLIFTING STORY: HISTORY OF THE BRASSIERE
100 years of breast support, an uplifting history with many supportive examples from the corsets to the bullet bras. ​
A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS
Learn about the Christmas traditions that started during the Victorian era that we still do today. See a wonderful display of Victorian winter fashions AND learn about everything Christmas from the feather tree to the history of sleigh bells. ​
MUSEUM TOURS
Step back in time to view fashion from 1840–1960 in the museum of Yesterday's Lady, located on the first floor of the historic Schmuck Building.

The Schmuck Building

The Schmuck building, located at 113 North 5th Street in Beatrice, NE, was erected in 1887 at the cost of $8,000 by John and Anna Schmuck. The building was constructed in the High Victorian Eclectic style and is a one-of-a-kind building true to the Victorian era. The Schmuck building’s history is important to Beatrice and Gage County not only for its unusual architecture, but also the rich history of activities it housed in its historic downtown location.

John and Anna lived on the top floor while renting the rest of their building to other various tenants. The basement became a saloon where the famous Hollywood film-actor and producer Harold Lloyd made a living as a young boy selling popcorn. At the street level, the Schmuck building was a dry-goods store; the second floor housed six separate offices and apartments while third floor remained home to John and Anna until their deaths in 1916 and 1917, respectively.

Shortly thereafter, in 1918, the property was purchased by Earl Marvin and became home to The Beatrice Daily Sun. Throughout the 1920’s, Marvin renovated the front façade, adding the awning, new windows, and the front door which are all still present to this day. The Beatrice Daily Sun was at home in the Schmuck building from 1918 till 1963.

Today, the building has been completely renovated, with every inch of the building in use. The main floor is the home to Sue’s vast collection of vintage clothing ranging from the 1840’s to the 1980’s, much of which have specific historical ties to the state of Nebraska. Sue McLain, owner of Yesterday’s Lady and resident of the Schmuck building, is a Nebraska Humanities Speaker and opens her shop to Historical tours in order to share her wonderful displays of vintage fashion. The backroom of her shop is also available to rent for private parties and gatherings. The second and third floors are the private residence of Sue McLain and her husband Mike, honoring the traditions of the Victorian residences John and Anna Schmuck, living upstairs and hosting their business on the street level.

The Schmuck building is a wonderful piece of history and is recognized as a National Historic treasure and has become a Gage Country treasure, being placed on the National Historic Register in July of 2008.
More Information

For more detailed history, please visit the National Register of Historic Places in Gage County!
If you are interested in setting up an appointment to visit the shop, host a private gala, or to schedule Yesterday's Lady at your own private event, we would love to hear from you. Please fill out the information below and we will return your correspondence as soon as possible.

    Contact Us

Book Susan as a Nebraska Humanities Speaker!

​Honored as a speaker for the Nebraska Humanities Speaker, Sue has been traveling the Midwest since 1991, sharing her extensive collection of clothing from 1840 through 1980 and teaching groups about the history of fashion. Contact us to book Susan to speak at your private event today! For more information on the Nebraska Humanities Speakers Bureau, click here.
​113 N 5th St
Beatrice, NE 68310
Phone: 402-239-0919
Email: [email protected]
​Copyright 2022 Yesterday's Lady. All rights reserved.