One hundred years back in time, says Ronda Furrow, The Burgess Seed & Plant Company stood in the downtown Galesburg building that she now calls The Burgess Antique Center.
Furrow opened her business in September 2011, bringing four jobs (including her own) to the city, and by the time her four adult children arrive home from college this summer, there will be eight sales associates.
"All of them will work here for the season," Furrow says.
The building had no heat and no working bathroom when she purchased it, so Furrow’s renovation was extensive, but she considers the creaky floors and the two, still-working dumb waiters part of the 22,000-square-foot structure’s charm.
"If you walk into this building, it feels like a cabin up north, or a winery," she says. "It’s perfect for an antique store."
Furrow’s vendors fill the entire first floor of the building with their antiques.
"We have 51 vendors who rent booths to sell their antiques here," Furrow says. "Some are very specialized. One sells only military items and another one has sports equipment. Another does only furniture and one just old glassware."
She opened on a high note and her sales continue to climb.
"Business has been amazingly, surprisingly, unexpectedly good," Furrow says. "There was a need here -- people had antiques they wanted to sell and they were looking for a place like this."
Writer: Kelle Barr, Second Wave
Source: Ronda Furrow, owner, Burgess Antique Center
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