Restored House Lends Unique Appeal to Antiques Business
A House Becomes a Home Store
Walston and Lewis are no strangers to the antiques and home décor business. For years they hauled furniture and furnishings to antique shows across southeast Indiana, even using one of their homes as a semiannual sales floor – if there was a tag on it, you could buy it. But after opening a shop in a restored Dillsboro house last spring, they finally feel like their business has found a home.
The house at 9960 Front Street had been occupied by the Cole family for nearly a century. After the family estate sold the house, subsequent owners made some alterations, including adding bathrooms (previously the only toilet had been in the basement). By the time Walston and Lewis purchased the property in 2014, the house had been vacant for a few years.
The sisters tackled restoration and rehabilitation project, gutting and remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms, installing new plumbing, and replacing missing historic light fixtures. Converting the attic into usable retail space was the most ambitious phase. The attic originally had no floor and was reachable only via two small ladders. The sisters transformed the space into a retail space accessible by a winding flight of stairs. Woodwork and glass around the house needed little more than dusting and polishing.
Today, Blue Willow House shoppers find rooms precision-packed with an artful mix of antiques, unique home décor, clothing, bath and body supplies, and fresh baked goods. The stock and displays rotate seasonally, with Christmas now reigning supreme. From silvery and snow-covered to peacock-plumed, Christmas trees are the star attractions in nearly every room. For holiday purists, there is a room dedicated to fall décor, complete with festive turkeys.
The sisters acknowledge that the house makes their store unique, allowing shoppers to envision items — such as holiday décor — in their own homes, or discover new ways to breathe life into old items. The sisters also hope to use the house for small events in the future, with plans for an outdoor English garden-style event space behind the home.
The business draws shoppers from across the state and serves as a shining example of how a rehabilitated historic building can enhance a business’s brand and visitors’ experience. Potential for further business investment in Dillsboro’s historic properties rose just last month when the town was designated an Indiana Main Street community.
To keep up with new stock and events at Blue Willow House, see the shop’s Facebook page or visit http://www.bluewillowsisters.com. Visit the shop Thursday and Friday, 10am-6pm or Saturday 9am-2am through New Year’s Eve (the shop will reopen mid-February for spring).