Changing SPACES

A dignified 19th century parlor, complete with walnut cabinet and desk, stares sternly out at the street from one window of the old storefront, while glassware in clashing colors of tangerine and avocado from the 1960s sparkles wildly like crazed go-go dancers from the other. Dana McElvy is changing his window display again. He has to keep displays fresh to entice \ncustomers, what he considers the hardest part of running the Fourth Street Emporium, 511 W. Fourth St.\nMcElvy's window displays are one example of some growing trends in the antique business. Many Bloomington antique dealers are experiencing success because they choose to balance traditional antiques with newer, pop-culture fare, "collectibles," both popular categories now, especially among students swarming the stores this fall in search of bargains and unique home furnishings.\nStudents have inundated the Fourth Street Emporium for the past few weeks, snatching up every piece of functional furniture available, especially mission furniture from the 1920s and 1930s. In fact, McElvy said the store sold out of furniture in seven days. \nOther popular items among these young bargain hunters are "art deco" -- anything chrome, orange or avocado. Stores such as Target are now selling reproductions of vintage lampshades of the 1950s to the 1970s, and students have taken the hint. Other trends include the return of fur, both fake and real, 1920s pottery and the collection of antique jewelry.\n"They can come here and pick up a lamp for eight bucks, and then they can afford to go and spend 20 for a shade," McElvy said.\nThese trends have also been seen in other stores in the area. Margie van Auken, an employee of Foursquare Antiques and Architectural Salvage, 727 W. Fifth St., said there is an increase in business because of an increased interest in home restoration using antiques. This is because people now want high quality items they will not see in their neighbors' homes.\nRobert Logsdon of Stella's Place, 4904 S. Rogers St., added that people want antique pieces because "they reflect the generations and their history, the character of the makers, their tools and the owners."\n"I buy antiques because they're more unique than new things, and they have more personality. You can feel the presence of the people who owned these things, and you think about their lives," said junior Leah Shaheen.\nA bigger trend is in new collectibles, some produced as recently as the 1980s. Baby boomers, beginning to feel nostalgic for the toys and collectibles they loved as children, crowd the shops demanding collectibles from the 1950s to the 1980s. This trend has led many stores to start carrying items like vintage Barbie dolls, Star Wars figurines, and Smurfs glasses.\nMcElvy owns one of these stores and said that since moving to a larger store two years ago, the business has grown three-fold. In fact, by Halloween he expects to open a coffee shop and bake house, the Gentry Tearoom, next to the store to accommodate lunchtime shoppers. He thinks the media has contributed to this desire for "kitsch," as the new collectibles are often called.\n"We get a lot of students who watch shows like 'Friends', with its vintage decor, and movies like 'Austin Powers' and come in wanting an avocado-green toaster now instead of a pink one from the 1950s."\nSome store owners are not eager to snatch up these hot items and stubbornly refuse to carry "new" items, opting to maintain the traditional definition of antique: 100 years old or more. The Garret, which opened in 1956 and was Bloomington's oldest antique shop, is one of these stores. Owner Dennis Garrett refused to offer any non-antique item and, because of this, his store recently closed its doors forever.\n"Ninety percent don't even know what an antique is," said Garrett of those customers in search of collectibles.\nWhile he sees the importance of effective advertising and balancing collectibles with traditional antiques, McElvy said the key to success in the antique business is having contacts. He makes a point to know what both customers and other dealers have in their collections and hopes they will do the same. He attributes the success of the store to knowing his customers and dealers, and he spends a large part of his day building and maintaining these relationships.\n"That's how you attract dealers. Networking. You know the kinds of things they're into, and when you find something, you point them toward it. Then, when they have something they know you're dying to have, they'll cut you a deal."\nMany local store owners say the relationships they form and the service they provide are more important than the money they make. Logsdon of Stella's Place enjoys selling people higher-quality items that will appreciate in value instead of new and cheaply made items. For McElvy, the greatest joy comes from the feeling of fulfillment he gets when people find that perfect item.\n"It's that connection to another generation and touching dead relatives again. There is an emotional connection to the past and a kind of spirituality."\nFor example, a person will come in and his face will light up when he sees a piece of vintage fabric that his grandmother used to have in her house. That is why McElvy owns the store; he loves the things and the feelings he can give people when they walk in and see something that relates to their own lives.\n"That's a great thing to be a part of. There is so much positive emotion in the things people connect with and buy," said McElvy.