Dozens of local vendors are looking for a place to store their furniture and art as the Owego Schoolhouse Antiques is preparing to go out of business. With the last day coming Dec. 1, owner Leonard Hilldale said that he has been unable to turn a profit, forcing him to close.
“Just not enough people came and we were losing too much money to maintain keeping it open. We had days where we weren’t even coming close to paying out for the help, and really that was almost every day,” said Hilldale, adding, “The business was consistently in the red, I lost an enormous amount of money.”
Hilldale originally bought the building around 2008 to help with his charity, Beds4Kids; 42,000 beds later he moved on to a new charity called Coats and Clothes for Kids.
“It turns out you lose your shirt when you give away free shirts,” Hilldale said.
Now defunct, Hilldale said the non-profit helped give 20,000 kids five full outfits. After the non-profits, Hilldale said he tried multiple businesses out of the former school but couldn’t make any of them profitable, including the consignment model for Schoolhouse Antiques.
“I don’t want to blame the vendors at all, it’s my fault the business failed. I did talk to vendors about increasing consignment and rent but it just wouldn’t have been enough,” Hilldale said.
For some vendors, the timing of the closure couldn’t be worse.
“Every vendor has to try to find storage, or find a way to liquidate, and we are all going to lose quite a bit of money, said vendor Joe Edington, adding, “We’re coming to the busiest shopping season of the year and we have family coming to visit and we want to visit and now I am stuck with this issue with inventory that I have to find a way to store or liquidate.”
“[The closing] was a surprise because we were just starting to do well, we were just starting to come together,” Edington added.
Not all vendors felt the same way, however. Donna Day, a Rome, Pa. resident and vendor at Schoolhouse Antiques, stated that the contract was quite clear, and they [the vendors] were offered sufficient time to remove their wares.
“Most of the vendors completely understand,” said Day, adding, “Most of the vendors get it and aren’t angry, they’re just disappointed.”
Once all the vendors are out, Hilldale said he would remain open on Saturdays until all of his personal stock is liquidated. Once that is done he said he would spend the winter prepping the building for sale in the spring.
“One door closes and another one opens, and like I said I am 60 years old and I look forward to having a much smaller business and not such huge commercial properties,” Hilldale said.
He added he was looking forward to getting back into painting.
“I used to be an artist and my dream is just to go back to painting,” Hilldale said.
He added that he also hopes to find a buyer who will keep the giant peace sign in the backyard intact.
“I had hoped for there to be an annual event (centered around the peace sign), so one of my pipe dreams is selling it to someone who will continue the tradition,” Hilldale said.
With so many vendors looking to reduce inventory and Hilldale looking to liquidate his entire stock of furniture, very low prices are available on furniture pieces that would typically cost hundreds of dollars.
“Stuff is going to be ridiculously low priced. Dining room tables that would have sold for hundreds are being sold for 50 bucks. A lot of stuff is still in its boxes,” Hilldale said.
Along with furniture, Hilldale said he is giving away furniture parts as well, including railings and upholstery.
“People have been excited about that for home crafting and the like, and we have 15 tons of stuff we are giving away,” Hilldale said.
For more information about the closure and what is still available to buy visit www.facebook.com/owegoschoolhouseantiques/ or visit them at their Elm Street Owego location.
Wendy Post, editor, contributed to this story.
Be the first to comment on "Schoolhouse Antiques set to close"