Shopping with a nostalgic feel; Santa, trains and collectibles highlight Early Owego Antique Center event

It felt like a mystical, magical place last Thursday as guests entered the Early Owego Antique Center in Owego, N.Y. for a journey back to a holiday shopping experience from the days gone by. Complete with a Santa’s Workshop in the lower level, featuring Santa himself, guests found Lionel Trains operating, elves of all shapes and sizes, and then two levels of merchandise up above for sale and on display during the most exciting time of the year, Christmastime!

To enhance the evening, Santa Claus made a trip to the EOAC to greet young guests and was accompanied by his helper, Mary Christmas. And although children were arriving to greet Santa, we had a minute to catch up with him during this busiest time of year.

Santa explained that he begins his work for Christmas on Dec. 26, so there wouldn’t be much rest after Christmas Day this year.

“We have to find the children, check my list, and then check it twice,” said Santa last Thursday, and from the EOAC.

He also explained a small fact that many may not know, candy canes, Santa noted, are the only thing that they harvest in the North Pole.

And he had plenty on hand last Thursday as guests came down the stairwell into Santa’s Workshop, passing a couple of operating train sets along the way, and into the man in red’s sanctuary for the evening as he readied for the big night. 

Eight-month-old Greyson Rafferty, of Candor, N.Y., arrived at the event dressed as an elf. 

“It’s his first candy cane,” said Santa as he wondered at the look in young Greyson’s eyes.

“It’s his first Christmas,” said Greyson’s nearby mom.

And although he couldn’t form the words himself, mom was guessing that he would be happy with some cups, bottles, and maybe a new pacifier.

Seventy-nine-year old Grover Erway didn’t give Santa a wish list, but he did reminisce at a nearby display case that had a GI Joe and some other toys from the days gone.

Grover recalled having a GI Joe as well as several Hess Trucks and a Lionel Train set. 

As for the GI Joe, Grover said that it brought back memories for him. He remembers the Korean War and World War II. 

“I was two,” he said.

Across from the display Jim Mead, owner of the EOAC, was offering demonstrations of his own train set. 

Mead talked about his own excitement around last Thursday’s event, and how he really wanted to bring back that old time feel that department stores offered. After all, the building that houses the EOAC was once known, locally, as the J.J. Newberry’s Co. (Department Store); the building still bears the store’s name. 

Mead said he has plans to start up live auctions in January in the lower level of the store, and will have more about that in the coming weeks.

The multi-dealer antique mall, now known as the Early Owego Antique Center, is taking full shape, and as it prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary. With vendors on two levels, sales have been good.

Dannette Darrow, a vendor specializing in late 18th to early 20th century Chinese and Japanese export porcelain said that it’s been a very good season. 

“More are shopping locally and we have many returning shoppers,” said Darrow who brought her dog Twiglet with her last Thursday, dressed as an elf.

Outside of the EOAC, and as you pass the large banner telling shoppers that Santa is in town, it was Moonlight Shopping in downtown Owego. The Moonlight Shopping promotion offered customers a Moonlight Shopping Wine Glass with their purchase, extended hours, and a chance to win prizes. You can learn more about these promotions at www.owego.org.

Back at EOAC, children continued, with curiosity, to enter Santa’s Workshop, and to gaze with wondrous eyes at all of the toys from those days gone by.

To learn more about the Early Owego Antique Center, centrally located on Main and Lake Streets in Owego, N.Y., visit www.earlyowego.com.