TRAVERSE CITY — Have you ever found an item at a thrift store or garage sale that reminded you of your childhood? That nostalgia is what drives one Traverse City antique shop owner to keep history alive.
“It’s like a bug that bites you and gets inside you, and over the years it got bigger and bigger until we started selling them in a barn on our property and then we decided to sell them at this venue, which is a place to sell some of the best work and poetry we have and offer it to the community,” owner and operator Matthew Mabey said.
Maeby grew up treasure hunting as a child, traveling with his parents to various stores and auctions, and he and his wife, Debbie, continue that tradition, selling barn goods, but now have their own store in the old Joseph Black School in Traverse City.
Maeby explains, “We’d been driving by this location for three and a half years and not only was it close, we just knew it was the perfect location for what we were looking for. We wanted a place that had a classic look but with a very positive, upbeat vibe inside, so when we walked in here we just knew this was exactly what we were looking for.”
It’s like searching for items to put in a store, and Maybee’s childhood experiences give her a special eye for finding the perfect pieces.
He said, “My wife laughs when she says I sometimes have Spider-Man instincts. Plus, I’ve been dealing with things for so many years, I’ve always been on the hunt for the best items.”
One of the most amazing works is a painting of the Seven Dwarfs, done in 1938, the same year the film was released.
“I think it’s a painting that was made for a poster or song sheet music or something like that, so when I find something fascinating that’s specific to a period, it’s really exciting,” Mabee said of the find.
Preserving History – Family History For Maeby, it’s all about finding a piece that’s special to her.To find the antique store, look for the Joseph Black School at the corner of Hammond and 3 Mile in Traverse City.