By By RANDI K. PICKLEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES - A new shop, which caters to old items, recently opened in downtown Niles.
Main Street Antiques is located in the former Goodwill building at 109 E. Main, and offers a variety of treasures including estate jewelry, elegant glassware, American furniture, primitives, quilts, linens, lace, sterling, and advertisements.
There is room for 40 vendors in the remodeled historic building. Originally housing Patterson's Soda Shop, the tin ceilings with crown molding and original oak floors look new again thanks to Nick Saviano and his crew from NJS Construction and Painting.
Co-owners, Susie Fauver and husband, John, aren't new to the antique business. Susie has been collecting antiques since college, when she majored in English. "I didn't really like antiques before college," she said. Of her two children, she added, "My son likes antiques. There is still hope for my daughter."
The couple has lived in the suburbs of large cities for most of their married life. While in Allen, Texas, for 18 years, their latest venture was an antique store in nearby McKinney, Texas, which they owned for the last five years. Previously, they lived in the Washington D.C. area and also the Rochester Hills secton of Detroit.
Fauver, however, feels right at home on Main Street. Her fondness for Niles is evident. "This is my hometown," she said. Looking out the window at the view of the downtown, she added, "I've been away from Niles for 31 years."
Her roots go deep in the Niles community and she enjoys sharing her family history here.
Fauver's dad worked at Uniroyal Ball Band in Niles and her mom worked in medical records for Dr. Lindenfeld when it was still called Pawating Hospital. Fauver herself taught second grade at Howard Elementary in Niles for two years.
Fauver likes the comfortable feeling she gets with Niles residents.
She was delighted reently that, when standing in a store next to an older woman she'd never met, the lady struck up a friendly conversation. "That's why I like Niles," Susie said.
Another time, an employee of NJS Construction, Roy Hines, came into the shop to return a small package of antique salt and pepper shakers that had accidently found their way into the construction company's trash barrel.
Fauver accepted the items with gratitude to Hines. Refering to his thoughtfulness, she repeated, "That's why I like Niles."
Fauver's husband, John, shares her love of the close-knit community that small town life offers.
Regardless of their residence, however, Main Street Antiques will run its normal hours thanks to the help of manager Linda Conover, also an experienced antiquer.
The community will join in for a ribbon cutting ceremony to formally welcome Main Street Antiques on Friday morning, April 8 in front of the store at 10:30 a.m..