Dec. 20, 2019

Eastside Antiques & More is closing at the end of January after three years in business.

“The market is changing,” owner Angie Kramer said. The typical customer is older, and many of them are downsizing instead of buying more items. “Millennials don’t want to collect the same things. They’re not interested in grandma’s furniture. They’re not interested in her dish set,” Kramer said. It’s different. My No. 1 vendor right now sells rocks and crystals.”

The shop next to Nyberg’s Ace at 613 S. Sycamore Ave. rents space to more than 30 vendors. They’re offering discounts ranging from 10 percent to 75 percent off antiques, vintage and collectible merchandise.

Kramer’s own collection includes a lot of original art, and she has a booth that features dog and cat figurines, art and games, “anything related to our furry friends.”

Kramer said she’ll put her unsold items in storage and try to find booth space at one or two other stores in the area. She’ll also continue to sell at Benson’s Flea Market and hopes to start online sales.

“I’m hoping that maybe in spring I’ll be able to have a little place on my own,” she said. “This is 6,800 square feet with 5,500 rentable, so if I found something that’s a quarter of the size, that hopefully could happen.”

Hours at Eastside Antiques & More are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.