×

Kiwanis get update on Antique Warehouse

DENMARK’S BUILDING UPDATE — Ken Smith, left, purchased the old Denmark’s building in downtown Steubenville and opened it as the Antique Warehouse, which now has 54 vendors and is growing. Smith was the guest speaker at the Nov. 15 meeting of the Steubenville Kiwanis Club where he was greeted by Phyllis Riccadonna, club president, and Tom Timmons, the club’s secretary-treasurer and November program chair. -- Janice Kiaski

STEUBENVILLE — The Steubenville Kiwanis Club got an update on what’s happening in the former Denmark’s building located at 322 Market St. in downtown Steubenville at its Nov. 15 business and luncheon meeting held at the YWCA of Steubenville.

Ken Smith, a Steubenville resident who grew up in Weirton, bought the building during 2015 and opened it June 1, 2016, as the Antique Warehouse.

Introduced by Tom Timmons, program chair, Smith, a 1980 graduate of Weir High School, said his longtime interest in antiques advanced to renting a vendor’s spot at Antiques on the Market in Wheeling, where he has been is one of about 18 vendors for nine years.

The antiques market concept in place there is what Smith has brought to life in the former Denmark’s building that now is home to 54 vendors with room to accommodate a grand total of more than 100.

Smith explained he had visited the Denmark’s building during an economic summit held in the city that involved tours of buildings for sale. Smith said he was laid off at the time as a plumber-pipefitter.

When he walked through it, he liked the hardwood floors but thought it was way more space than he needed to open an antique shop just for things he might sell — antique furniture and primitives.

But opening it up to other vendors selling a variety of things, however, seemed the way to go at the business now open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.

The first floor and mezzanine are full, and there are spots taken on the second floor. The basement is devoted to architectural salvage.

Smith, who recently hosted a  “What’s Up Downtown” event there, explained he charges vendors $1 per square foot, takes no commission on their sales, sends in the sales tax for everyone, and “we sell the stuff for them,” meaning no vendors have to be present. Having a vendor spot does not involve leasing, he added.

“It’s been working out real great, and all my vendors seem to be happy. They’re all selling stuff,” Smith told the Kiwanians and their guests.

Smith said younger people, thanks to shows such as “American Pickers” and “Fixer Upper,” are taking an interest in antiques and repurposed furniture, which Antique Warehouse also offers. Vendors are requested to have 80 percent of their items to be antiques.

During a question-and-answer period, Smith said the weekend brings anywhere from 60 to 150 visitors and estimated that more than $62,000 has been generated in sales since the business opened.

Club President Phyllis Riccadonna presided at the meeting, reminding members they will be ringing the bells for the Salvation Army’s annual kettle campaign. Kiwanians will be at Rural King on Dec. 14.

The club welcomed Eastern Gateway Community College’s Tim Glade, who explained a little bit about what he does in his capacity as dean of academics.

Steubenville High School Key Club Adviser Ross Ivkovich, attending with Key Club members Makayla Crownover and Joel “Joey” Tarquinio, said Key Club members will be busy this holiday with projects that include working in conjunction with Scaffidi’s Restaurant to deliver 50 meals to needy students.

The Steubenville Kiwanis Club participated in the Division 26 Kiwanis “Hand Up Handbag” service project for 2015-16.

It was explained to the club during a Dec. 1, 2015, visit by Barb Kliner of East Palestine, then the 2015-16 Ohio Kiwanis lieutenant governor for Division 26. The division includes 12 clubs in Jefferson, Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull counties, including the Steubenville one.

The project, which ran from then through September, involved collecting slightly used handbags to give to “a woman who is facing some bumps in her life.” The purses were filled with small personal items and included information on local services and contacts where the recipient and her family can get assistance and guidance to help them over the bumps, Kliner had said.

The Kiwanians were encouraged to gather used handbags they or their spouses, families and friends no longer use and also to collect samples of toiletries, cosmetics, hand sanitizers, small packages of tissues, small flashlights, key rings, mini notebooks, pens, mirrors, combs, fingernail files, pill boxes, etc.

“This project will give a ‘hand up’ to the mothers who are struggling to keep their families together and hopefully make their day a little brighter because someone cared about them,” Kliner had said.

“Each handbag will have a card attached that says ‘This handbag is given to you because Kiwanis members care about you and want to give you a ‘hand up’ to a better life. We serve not only the children of the world, but help the moms, too.”

More than 200 handbags were collected divisionwide. Kliner returned recently to the area, on hand for the presentation of 15 handbags to the A.L.I.V.E. Shelter, accepted by Jodi Scheetz, its executive director, and 10 to the YWCA of Steubenville for its women’s residence, accepted by Sophie Spencer, YWCA executive director.

The Kiwanis will meet Tuesday at noon for a luncheon and business meeting where the Rev. Carl Moore, the new pastor at Starkdale Presbyterian Church in Steubenville,  will deliver a Thanksgiving message.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today