Pendleton once again antique mecca

PENDLETON - A new antiques mall is opening in Pendleton, bringing the number of antique shops in the town to at least eight.

Pendleton, with its historic square featuring the Farmers Hall, built in 1826, and other historic structures, is building on its reputation as a destination for antiques

Colonial Square Antique Mall opened its doors about two weeks ago, but its owners are continuing to renovate an old Ford car dealership building to expand for more vendors to set up, said Josh Raffini, a part owner and manager.

Colonial Square rents space to antique dealers and other vendors. The dealers sell antiques from glassware to furniture pieces, Raffini said.

Raffini, whose father operates South Main Street Antiques and Collectibles in Anderson, said they were looking for a better location for the antique side of the business and found the old auto dealership while visiting Pendleton. It's on Main Street, cattycorner to the square.

They will be changing the Anderson business to a used furniture shop, Raffini said, while moving their own antiques to part of the Pendleton site. The Pendleton shop also will refinish furniture, he said.

"Pendleton is more of a destination location," he said. "That was part of the market we felt would be better for antiques. We came to Pendleton to shop for antiques and almost by accident found this building was available."

The building has 3,500 square feet now open. When completely renovated, it will have about 5,500 square feet for vendors, he said.

Besides antiques, vendors include a wreath designer, tile painter, candle maker and more. Crystal Posey, who designs decorative tiles for her business, Tile It Like It Is, rented a space at Colonial Mall because it "complements the business very well because it's personalized" and allows her to come and go as she needs to. She also has moved her work area from her kitchen table to the mall.

Raffini said other antique shops in town have helped them get started. The fact there are several more within walking distance helps all their business, he said.

Next door to Colonial Mall is Blue Ridge Antiques and Refinishing, which has been in business for about eight years, 3Ω at the Main Street location, said Charlie Moore, co-owner.

His shop has "furniture, glassware, clocks, lamps" and more, Moore said. Pieces range from the 1820s to 1950s.

Much of his business, however, is in refinishing old pieces. That has helped him weather the recession, he said.

"If it wasn't for the refinishing work, this wouldn't be here," he said, looking out over the shop.

Moore said he started the business part-time out of his garage, got tired of the "corporate world," and decided to go full time into antiques.

"It was hard to give up a guaranteed paycheck," said Moore, who managed an auto parts store.

Pendleton was home, he said, and he wanted to stay local when he opened the business.

Antique furniture is well made FROM PAGE 10D compared to what's produced now, he said. Given the paucity of tools furniture makers had in the 1800s and early 1900s, when compared to what's available today, "the quality of construction * is a whole lot better than it is now."

Much of the older furniture is put together with wooden pegs, he said. "Today they drive nails through it."

Like Raffini and Moore, Gail Wolla had a longtime interest in old furniture. Her husband taught electrical and computer engineering at Clemson University for 20 years before they eventually retired to the Pendleton area.

Wolla was renting space selling antiques when she saw a former gas station for lease across from the Farmers Hall building on the square.

"I thought it would be ideal for a store," she said.

She and her husband renovated the building and have operated Village Station Antiques for about five years. Her selection is "very eclectic," she said, because she buys items that appeal to her "sometimes purely because I like it."

Like other businesses, hers has been hurt by the recession. She has added merchandise that customers have mentioned they'd like to have, including greeting cards, as a way to generate sales.

"The first year was the worst (for business), but we are trying to hang in there," Wolla said.

Raffini said he's been "pleasantly surprised" at business in Pendleton.

Based on his experience with his father's store in Anderson, Raffini believes he sees a glimmer of hope for the return of the consumer.

"It's starting to slowly come back," he said.

Moore said it's not definite, but "I can see a turnaround from what it was a few months ago."

People continue to seek furniture refinishing services because they want to keep certain pieces in the family, he said. That has helped his business during the downturn, Moore said.

Several of the owners said they've seen more store traffic and point to that - as a comparison of previously slow months - as a sign that people are starting to shop more.

Pendleton's antique businesses continue to evolve, business owners said.

"We lived here in the 1960s and 1970s," Wolla said. "Pendleton was kind of known as the place to go for antiques."

While she thinks its reputation for a destination point for antiques has declined, "I think it is getting back to that."