Downtown Perry became host to another retailing dream this month when Ann and Billy Montague of Woodward became the new owners and operators of Stitches in Time, the shop of antiques and curiosities at 1203 Second St.
With about 5,000 square feet to work with on the ground floor, the Montagues have been busy making improvements since taking over the business Nov. 1 from longtime owners George and Cathy Kurtinitis.
“We’ve adding a lot more shelving on the main floor,” said Lindsey Montague, daughter of Ann and Billy. “The basement is closed for now, but we’ll reopen it once we get it the way we like it.”
The store’s new hours, according to Lindsey, are:
- Monday to Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Billy Montague, with a background in long-haul trucking, said the shop is something he and Ann and Lindsey have talked about for a long time.
“We’ve looked at a lot of places” since moving to Woodward in 2005, Montague said Friday. “But as soon as we walked in here, we knew it was the best of all. We’re excited to be starting a new adventure.”
Montague said a couple of vendors have pulled out since they took over the business, and some new ones have come on board. He said they currently host between 15 and 20 consignment sellers and hope to add a lot more once the basement reopens.
“We’ve kept all the monthly contracts the same as far as terms and rents,” Lindsey Montague said. She said they bought the stock on hand and have been adding more of their own.
The Kurtinitises tried to sell the three-story downtown landmark at a public auction in September 2015, but bidding stalled at $46,000, well below their set threshold.
The building has deteriorated since it was built in 1899. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The upper floors contain 15 one-bedroom apartments and two large offices, but have all been gutted and currently house only Ted Cruz campaign signs and similar lumber.
“We thought about buying the building,” Lindsey Montague said, “but it would cost so much to restore that we thought we better wait. We’d love to see it brought back to life. Maybe we can work something out with the owners where we restore one apartment at the time and fix it up bit by bit that way.”
The business there has never been the same since around the time of the building’s going up for auction. Many of the vendors pulled out from fear during all that. There have still been a few good items left for sale, but most of the better merchandise was removed months ago. Perhaps the new owners can attract better vendors again.