Antique stores
yield unique gifts
By Jennifer O’Cilka
Senior Reporter
There are several antique shops
in the Haymarket area with unique
selections of memorable Christmas
gift possibilities.
Conner’s Architectural An
tiques, 247 N. 8th St.
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Conner’s Architectural Antiques,
247 N. 8th St., carries a full-line of
antique items, but specializes in
items for restoring homes.
Sid Conner, owner of the an
tique store with his wife Cheryl,
said the store carries French doors,
fireplace mantles, brass and crystal
light fixtures and carved wood
materials for restoring homes —
“all the things that would go to
different period homes.”
In addition to the main store,
Conner said he has a warehouse
for larger items like staircases and
pillars.
He travels ail over the Midwest
to find antiques for restoration.
The process includes bidding on
buildings that will be demolished
and removing items from them.
The demand for antiques for
restoring houses has increased in
the past 8 or 9 years, Conner said.
"Previously, there was a lot of
demand on the East and West Coast
and larger metropolitan areas,” he
said. “But now people here in Lin
coln are interested in preserving
historical elements of homes ..
Also, Conner said, fewer homes
are being demolished When the
major thoroughfares went through
Lincoln several years ago, many
homes were demolished, Conner
said.
More older homes now are being
renovated for single-family use,
rather than apartments, he said.
Costs of restoration items de
pend on their age and the condi
tion they are in, Conner said.
Restoration of a Victorian-pe
riod home is the most expensive
because these items are costly to
acquire. Items from this time,
commonly are made from brass,
bronze and mahogany, oak and
teakwood, Conner said.
Additional costs can be charged
for polished articles, but home
owners can save money by polish
ing items themselves, Conner said.
“We try to pride ourselves on
the fact that we can deal in about
anybody’s budget range,” he said.
Conner said his wife sells old
and new Christmas ornaments and
decorations. Her part of the busi
ness is called Always Christmas,
Conner said.
Antiques and Flowers by Rod
and Suzi, 819 O St
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Saturday
1 to 5 p.m. Sundays
Suzi Phelps, owner of Antiques
and Flowers with her husband,
said her store deals with a wide
variety of antiques. The store spe
cializes in fine furniture and jew
elry, she said.
A unique feature of the store is
the florist service. Phelps said her
staff will research flowers from a
certain period and create a bou
quet to fit into the decor. I
See ANTIQUES on 12
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J«ff Willeft/Daity Nebtaftkan
Ha* Kennedy of Lincoln looks at some of the antique treasures in the Burlington Arcade, 210
N. 7th St,