Antique Mall in Washington to close

The Antique Mall in the Washington Square plans to close later this year, 24 years after opening in 1997, although the exact closure date is unknown.

“We could be open, possibly, up until Christmas,” Owner Raph Jonshorowski said. “We’ll have everything sold by then or give it away, or whatever.”

Until then, Gonshorowski said prices would be cut to liquidate the store’s inventory.

Whenever the doors do close, Gonshorowski said the remaining items would be given to thrift stores and charitable causes in the area. After that, he plans to retire, but that hardly means he’ll have to sit still.

“I’ve got 101 things to do … We go up to Minnesota for the summers, now we can spend more time there,” he said. “As far as retiring, I’ll never retire from doing things; you’ve got to do something, you know … I’ll spend (time) with my grand kids, I have seven grand kids.”

Terry Salyers, the shop’s only other employee, said she was grateful for the extra time.

“I need a little more time now, I’m busy with church, I’m busy with animals, and the yard,” she said. “The house is really old, so there’s always something I need to do to it, it was built in the 1800s.”

While the free time will be liberating, both said it would still be difficult to leave the business behind.

“It makes you feel good if somebody comes in and they’re just delighted that they found some treasure,” Salyers said. “It makes you feel good that people feel happy with what we do.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com