A mini antique boom in Sussex

Sussex - It started with Good Old Days, an antique store that opened on 20-22 Main St. in Sussex Borough four months ago. Now, a second antique store has opened across the street, providing further evidence that the downtown business district is undergoing a rebirth. “With the revitalization of Sussex, we wanted a place to sell our antiques,” said Ann Cole, who along with her husband Kevin opened Nelda & Emylou’s Antiques Etc. at 31 Main St. this past Saturday. For the past year, the Coles had been selling antiques at a cooperative called The Yard in Unionville, N.Y. But when The Yard shut down in October, the Coles needed a new spot to hawk their period pieces. Enter Kerr Grabowski, the owner of the building at 31 Main St. and a friend of the Coles. “I’d been looking for just the right tenant,” said Grabowski, who also uses the space to design and paint fabric. “A year ago, it wouldn’t have worked,” she added. That’s because downtown Sussex was a darker place back then. Gangs of rowdy teenagers were scaring patrons away from local shops, not to mention disturbing images of widespread public drug use and bar fights that spilled out onto the streets. Recently order seems to have been restored to this quaint community whose origins date back to the early 18th century. But the Coles might not be on Main Street at all if it were not for John Ross. Ross, who was born and raised in Sussex, opened Good Old Days last fall. That move “opened some eyes in the community” that new businesses could prosper here, said Ross, who shares the location with his sister, Faye Kangas, who operates Lily Scott Bridal Gallery there. “Business has been pretty good, even though these are typically the slowest months of the year for antiquing,” said Ross. It was certainly a good start for the Coles, who drew about 40 customers within the first three hours of their Grand Opening and even sold a pricey Tiger Oak buffet. Nelda & Emylou’s Antiques, named after Kevin’s and Ann’s mothers, respectively, also sells vintage Lionel trains from the 1920s and 1930s as well as antique jewelry. “It’s a very encouraging start,” said Kevin. The Coles have a big champion in Kerr Grabowski, who thinks that the effect of the antique stores may be snowballing. “This town needed one more business to open to encourage other businesses to come here.” These days in Sussex Borough, it seems anything is possible.