Antique dealers and customers glad for return of outdoor sales at Hanna’s Town
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Collectibles dealer David McCartney said it “felt great” to return outdoors Sunday to the crisp spring air, sun and once again mingle face to face with hundreds of treasure seekers browsing at the Antiques & Collectibles Market at Historic Hanna’s Town in Hempfield.
McCartney and Teresa Howell, his partner of six years in the antiques and collectibles trade, admitted tiring at being cooped up, logging into a computer inside their Clearfield County home in order to display and sell their numerous wares that include old keys, antique watches, vinyl records, games and jewelry among hundreds of other trinkets.
Over the past three months because of the coronavirus pandemic which restricted the size of gatherings, antiques and collectibles dealers and auctioneers had to barter their wares via computer using websites such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace and other sites.
Many antique and collectible sales outdoors were canceled last month, including one May 10 in Hannastown and the Flea-Tique at Bull Creek on May 19 at the Tour-Ed Mine site in Fawn Township that is sponsored by the Allegheny-Kiski Historical Society.
“There’s no question, I definitely prefer this. Being able to touch, see and feel items, and being able to mingle with the customers adds a lot,” McCartney said.
“Selling on a computer just isn’t the same,” McCartney said.
Howell agreed. She said Sunday’s event in Hanna’s Town was their first outdoor event this year, with many more ahead throughout Western and Central Pennsylvania.
Veteran Pleasant Unity auctioneer William D. Frye said the auction halt during March, April and May “really hurt us badly.”
“It hurt a lot of our customers, too. People who were selling homes and moving, trying to sell household items, just couldn’t do it with the social distancing restrictions and gathering limitations,” Frye said.
Frye, 71, an auctioneer for 44 years, does auctions to supplement his Social Security. He works with his daughter and son.
“”There’s no doubt we were hurting. It was definitely rough because I just don’t do (sales) on the computer,” Frye said.
“We did our first sale, agricultural, last weekend (June 6 and 7), up in the Apollo area that we had to cancel earlier in the spring. We had a pretty good turnout for our first one, about 150 to 200 people,” Frye said.
Frye said he has area auctions booked June 27, July 11 and 18, with a few more in “the talking stages.”
“I’m very, very glad to be back in business,” Frye said.
Twin sisters Linda Tepley of New Alexandria and Susan McWilliams of Youngstown also are longtime antique and collectible vendors at the Hanna’s Town events. They dabbled “a little online” during the pandemic.
Tepley said the online business just wasn’t the same.
“This is wonderful being outside here again,” Tepley said.
The Hanna’s Town crowd also was provided with recommendations for antiquing based on Centers for Disease Control Guidelines.
“People appear to be social distancing, and we have our hand sanitizers and sprays on the table,” Tepley said.
“But again, it’s definitely good to be out and about again,” she said.
Dolly Mistrik, coordinator for the Flea-Tique at Bull Creek, said, despite the May 19 cancellation, they will still get in six events this year benefiting the Heritage Museum in Tarentum and the Tour-Ed Mine site and museum. The first is slated from daylight to 2 p.m. June 21 at the Tour-Ed Mine site.
Other dates are July 19, Aug. 16, Sept. 20, Oct. 18 and Nov. 15.
“I have to say, the vendors who already signed up for May 19 were extremely nice about it and understanding, as well as our customers. I’m not sure we’ll have as many people next week. We’ll have to wait and see,” Mistrik said.
“This is our 38th season. With the cancellation, we decided to extend into November this year,” she said.
In addition to vendors, the Hanna’s Town event also was popular with customers.
Robert Parise of Pittsburgh’s North Side had his hands full as he walked back to his car carrying a chair, religious portrait, a framed photograph of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy when he was a U.S. senator representing Massachusetts, and several other items.
“We thought we’d drive out here and shop around for some cool stuff. And it’s great to be outside,” Parise said.
Hanna’s Town has other sales at the Revolutionary War-era site slated July 12, Aug.9, Sept. 13 and Oct. 11.