Local Business Starts Off With A Full House

Oskaloosa Antiques and Arts Popup opened for business on July 5

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The opening for the Oskaloosa Antiques and Arts Popup was held earlier this week, on Tuesday July 5th.

Tammy McMains made the move to the new building located at the former Wilcox-Garland building just North of the Mahaska County Courthouse. The work that lead to this point we documented in our May story just shortly after she took possession of the building from Bob Jones.

I asked McMains if she was excited that it was finally open. “Absolutely, and that it’s nearly full,” she said about the store having the first and second level being occupied by vendors already. She says that they have 2 more antique booths on the first floor still available.

“Physical Labor” is what McMains said was the hardest part of getting the merchant mall ready. These types of businesses are called “Popup” because they allow a small business to grow from a very small start to one that could potentially have it’s own store. Places like this that have taken off around the country have started to be called “Popup” because the businesses popup out of nowhere.

“My husband was a big part of it,” McMains said of the work her husband put into helping to get the store ready.

She also wanted to express great gratitude to Justin and the former building owner Bob Jones who was there every day helping her and the rest of the group get ready for opening day. “He’s been here every day, vacuuming, cleaning, sweeping the basement, sweeping out back, anything he can do.”

McMains said that along with the pain of all the labor in getting the building ready, the most rewarding thing was having the store open, and a steady group of customers passing through the doors.

With 20 different vendors under one roof, it might very well be worth a stop.