One morning late last year, a Lincoln woman with a lifelong love of dogs woke up with an amazing idea.

Open a thrift store. Stock it with upscale clothes, quality furniture and household goods - and donate the proceeds to animal shelters.

"I was going to retire in less than two years, and I thought, 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life?'" Sue Sturgis said last week from Cause For Paws, her dog-friendly shop on Old Cheney Road.

Sturgis called women she knew from her years as a fashion coordinator - for Hovland Swanson and J Bragg - and they emptied their closets. Local animal lovers and fellow clotheshorses also donated.

She found a vacant storefront. She opened in December. And since then $6,000 has gone out the door - to the Capital Humane Society, Hearts United for Animals, the Cat House.

She's already sold her business - the White Orchid Spa and Salon - to devote her days to the shop.

"This was more important to me," says the 60-year-old who looks 50, dressed head to toe in thrift store chic.

Handbags and shoes are half off this week, she says, as a visiting reporter is herded around the spacious store by Emba, a rescued Australian shepherd.

Emba and Muggy, the Rottweiler mix, come to work with Sturgis every day. Thursday, she steers them in the direction of an incoming customer.

"Hey, Muggy, somebody's coming to the door, honey! Emba, you better go, too."

It's Sue Barrett, a regular, accustomed to the customary canine sniffing-upon-entering.

A photo of Barrett's daughter Amelia, wearing the pink vintage dress she bought here and wore to her senior prom, is framed on the front counter.

"Look, isn't she beautiful?" says Sturgis, who loves people as well as pets.

Barrett was one of her clients at White Orchid. Sturgis gives her a ring when something comes into the shop she thinks might suit her style. Which she'll do for anyone who wants a fashion heads-up.

Cause for Paws is perfect, Barrett says, checking out the blouses before segueing over to purses. She likes wearing nice clothes and not paying nice clothes prices.

And she likes dogs, too.

Sturgis hand-selects her inventory. And business is good. Word is getting around in the dog world.

Earlier last week, she cried her eyes out when a woman came in the shop carrying a small dog rescued by a shelter her store helps support. Two of the dog's legs had been broken at the puppy mill where it was born.

The sweet thing cuddled right in her lap, Sturgis says. So many dogs need help. That's why she did this.

"I told myself, 'Sue you can do this. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but at least you gave it a shot.'"

So here she is, every day. Handing out dog rescue fliers, stocking dog calendars, handing out cards for dog-sitters.

When Sturgis was a girl, she had a mutt named Whitey. Her dad was an alcoholic. When she hid under the bed to get away from his rages, Whitey hid with her.

When she needed protection, Whitey protected her.

"That dog will live forever in my heart. That dog saved my life."

She's loved a lot of dogs since those days.

Thursday, she rings up another sale, a black cocktail dress, profits headed to a nearby shelter.

"I thank you very much," she says.

"And the dogs thank you, too."

Reach Cindy Lange-Kubick at 473-7218 or clangekubick@journalstar.com.