Going Out of Business by Bea Tifton

Last week I was in the little town where my parents lived for 25 years. It's not far from where we live now and I still love to visit occasionally. I always stop by the antique mall where we began our antique business so long ago.  This time, my stomach lurched as I saw the bright yellow "Going Out of Business" banner. 

When I asked the woman at the counter if they were really going out of business, my voice broke. Her eyes filled with tears as she explained the current owner was going to retire. 

"How very said. I said. 

She could barely get the words out as she agreed, "Yes, it is very sad." 

Years ago, when I was in my early 20s, my mother and I started an antique business. Mom had always loved antiques, and she had instilled a love for them in me.  We rented two booths from a local antique mall. The owner was a force to be reckoned with, always nice to us but I wouldn't have crossed her. She always reminded me of one of those tough pioneer women; she'd be driving her buggy with a rifle resting in her lap. 

But she was supportive of us. She helped us learn the business, what to buy and what not to buy. We researched at the library and bought books ourselves so we would be knowledgeable about what to buy and how to price it. Of course, we were so excited and green that we bought some odd things and some things that would never sell. Buying things for the booth was the best part. We would get out the newspaper the night before and consult the estate sales and garage sales section to plot our route. Then we would go out and buy, then spend the rest of the day cleaning things up and pricing them. 

We still made mistakes. The first buy I made all alone, I got home and excitedly took out my prizes. I discovered that two things were chipped, and therefore worthless. So many lessons learned along the way. Some things, we kept. And a few things, we regretted selling, like the midcentury tree topper that lighted up and rotated from the top of the tree. I've never seen another, and even if I came across one, it would be ridiculously expensive today. 

Mom, especially misses our antique business, but I do, too. It was something we loved that we could do together. We eventually expanded to several booths in different malls. But this antique mall was the first. And even though this is the second owner, I'm heartbroken that she's closing. It feels like a big part of my past is just getting wiped out. I'll still make forays into the little town, but I won't be driving down that stretch of Main Street for a while. It's just too sad. 

Photo Credits;
Wikimedia Commons: 20180724 "Carson's"
Pexels.com
Tima Miroshminchenko "Classic Dining Table and Wooden Cabinets Inside an Antique Store"
Ylanile Koppens "Close-Up Shot of a White Vintage Pitcher"
Julia Volk "Vintage Blue Door of an Old Building"