Metro-east treasure hunters will have a new store to peruse this weekend
Every now and then, my mom and I like to take a day and hit the thrift stores and flea markets.
It’s a thing we do, mainly to spend some quality time together. (I have a similar thing with my dad – bookstores and the occasional Marvel movie.)
Mom and I will pick a few places to go and make a day of it, grabbing lunch or an early dinner somewhere along the way.
Well, we have a new place to include in our rotation, and it’s in New Baden, where I grew up.
White Barn Antiques and Mercantile is on Route 161, just outside of town and off of Interstate 64. You can’t miss it. There’s a big white barn, hence the name.
Owner Kim Haas, a newly retired kindergarten teacher, decided that she wanted to open an antique mall and mercantile store where vendors, artists and artisans can sell their wares.
She and her husband, Dennis Haas, bought the nearly 12-acre property in December. The shop is housed in a long green and white metal structure on the site.
“When I walked into this space,” there were cobwebs and dust everywhere, she said, figuring she would clean it up and put some tape down on the floor to mark out vendor spaces.
It turned out to be a little more complicated than that.
At first, Haas thought that she’d be ready to open by July. When she told her experienced vendor friends this, they laughed.
Haas admitted that she didn’t realize all of the aspects of running such a business. From finding and organizing vendors to marketing that included an online presence, she had no idea how much work goes into starting a business.
But she’s learning.
There are 26 full-sized antique vendor spaces in the main building, 35 counter cases and smaller blocks of space.
Signing up vendors was easy, said Haas. Some are already established, and some are new. Many places like White Barn have waiting lists, so the participating vendors jumped right in.
“The antique vendors are excited about it,” she said.
Participating vendors include Warehouse 300 (Trenton), Jo’s Creations (Shiloh) and Alice’s Junk Shop.
Local artists are still being sought for the mercantile. So far, participating artists include makers of barn quilts, earrings/jewelry, crocheted goods and turned wood items. Candy and canned produce will be among other goods on offer.
White Barn’s goal is to promote local goods, according to Haas.
Even with all of the work that still needs to be done, White Barn Antiques and Mercantile opens Wednesday, Sept. 4. Haas said they can work out the bugs as they go.
About White Barn Antiques and Mercantile
White Barn is located at 11401 Route 161 in New Baden.
Once open, hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Interested vendors can call 618-531-2732. For more info, visit the White Barn Facebook page.
