Boxcar Treasures moving from Ainsworth

Antique store business Boxcar Treasures is moving from its Ainsworth location to a new store in Crawfordsville, a building that used to be a Texaco gas station. The Ainsworth location has been open just over five years.

Boxcar Treasures Co-owner Carol Riggan said the move was motivated by rising rent at the old location, paired with better visibility and square footage at the new one.

“We’re going to have a lot more ideas, we can really expand our vision,” she said. “We can be right there on the interstate, there’s so much traffic that goes through there it’s ridiculous, and it should be good for the business.”

Jodie Schimke, Riggan’s business partner and other co-owner, said the new location had plenty of outdoor space that would facilitate events not possible at the business’ other locations around the county.

“We want to do flea markets, car shows, motorcycle shows,” she said. “Anything and everything that we can do outside that comes on to promote community and be inclusive and drive traffic. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Moving an entire antique store is no small matter. The business has moved items by trailer and pickup truck over the last several weeks. The new location opens for business July 1.

“We have a great team of staff and volunteers that come out … there’s a lot of people that (have) come forward,” Riggan said. “There’s a lot to get done, to get moved … a lot of the vendors have set up and moved in already.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com