Downtown antique store sells its building, moves to Internet for now

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Springfield Antique Company, 406 South Ave., will move, according to owners Kerry and Tammie Martens.|ret||ret||tab|

Tammie Martens said the building's new owner, a professor at a local university, will take possession of the two-story building Sept. 29. |ret||ret||tab|

The Martenses, who purchased the building nearly seven years ago did not want to disclose the selling price of the building. They did say, however, that they weren't trying to sell the building when it was purchased.|ret||ret||tab|

"A Realtor came in and said, if we could get X amount of dollars out of your building, would you sell,' and we'd be foolish not to," Kerry Martens said.|ret||ret||tab|

"It was a nice profit to entice us to move. We had to have something to entice us, because we have two levels of merchandise and that was a lot of work," he added.|ret||ret||tab|

Tammie Martens agreed. |ret||ret||tab|

"It was enough for us to feel comfortable starting over. It's a great opportunity for us," she said.|ret||ret||tab|

The couple, who are the owners and only employees of Springfield Antique Company, said they aren't sure where or when Springfield Antique would reopen, but they will reopen.|ret||ret||tab|

"We're going to stay in Springfield and that's about the best I can say, because we don't know where another building is going to be available," Kerry Martin said.|ret||ret||tab|

While they're looking for a new home for their business, the Martenses said they will continue to do business via the Internet on e-Bay, as SAC's Moderne, and they've also rented space locally at the South Peer Antique Mall, 317 South Ave.|ret||ret||tab|

Tammie Martens said the couple has been taking down as many names, addresses and telephone numbers of the store's customers so they can be notified when the store is ready to reopen in its new location.|ret||ret||tab|

"It's so much better face-to-face, and that's why we want to open another shop again," Kerry Martens said.|ret||ret||tab|

Before the new location opens, though, the couple does have some plans.|ret||ret||tab|

"In the next few months, we're going to do our online (business), and we are going to do some travelling. For example, we will go to California and set up at the Rose Bowl, and shows such as that," Kerry Martens said. |ret||ret||tab|

"We want to travel and do some shows in different parts of the country, and hopefully, in the meantime, we are buying (items) to bring back to Springfield. Our main goal is to find some unusual stuff for our customers here in Springfield. We want to come back, and we want to make (the shop) better."|ret||ret||tab|

The Martenses said they're not sure exactly what the building's new owner has planned for the property.|ret||ret||tab|

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