Old Fort Antiques and Collectibles might be Fort Scott’s newest addition to downtown business in the area of flea markets, but its owners, Bud Hall and Josh Jones, have been in the business for several years.
As a visitor walks into the store located at 2 S National Ave, that visitor would immediately be met with the friendly smile of owner Bud Hall. Hall just happened to be examining and cleaning up one of his finds–collectible coins. A look around the store reveals a variety of rustic antiques and beautiful furniture. An antique gasoline pump stands guard by the side door, while vintage clocks keep time in the corners. No doubt this location, formerly the Downtowner Motel, is seeing some of these antiques for a second time in its career serving downtown Fort Scott.
Old Fort Antiques and Collectibles runs by allowing vendors space to display their merchandise. This allows the store to carry a wide range of available goods, including collectibles, coins, furniture and appliances. According to Hall, the store opened at the beginning of March, and by April, a waiting list was in place for vendors. The store does, however, plan to offer more space very soon as they are cleaning out what was the kitchen area of the building.
When asked about what he enjoys most about owning a business downtown, Hall says, “I think just dealing with the people. I’ve been a salesperson for most of my life.” In addition to the fact that he loves working with people, and he says that his business loves “to buy and sell. We also love to deal in coins–gold and silver. We are always looking for new merchandise, and we would really like to get more into selling appliances.” He also mentioned that they are willing to barter with those who prefer that. The store will soon have a credit/debit machine to allow customers to buy with cards if they prefer to do so.
With its convenient location and hours, wide variety of merchandise and friendly staff, Old Fort Antiques and Collectibles is the place to visit for antiques and collectibles or that piece of furniture or appliance you’ve been needing.
