Antiquing hobby becomes business in downtown Cape Girardeau

Main Street Antiques at 19 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau was born from a love for antiquing.

It's a hobby Rhonda Cook and her husband love to do.

"We love to go to auctions and estate sales, and we just love vintage and antique items," she said.

She has had other businesses, including being a tour guide in the past or a real-estate agent in the present. But Main Street Antiques is unlike anything she's done before.

The business opened Saturday, Jan. 6, with a grand opening event scheduled for March.

A collection of toy trucks is one of the more popular vendor spaces at Main Street Antiques. Owner Rhonda Cook said her store offers numerous items that are either vintage, or over 50 years old, or antique at over 100 years old.Christopher Borro

Cook estimated she has some 3,000 items in the store between her own booths and various other vendors, who can rent out space by the square foot.

Among the collection, shoppers can find artwork, dishes, furniture, comic books, toys, clocks, quilts and more. Cook plans on opening an upstairs addition to hold even more items in the near future.

"You will find things in here that are surprises; things you don't normally see," she said.

Many vendors or consigners have items from homes they downsized from or garage or estate sales. Cook said she regularly attends these, partly to find new items to sell and partly to find things for her own home.

In addition to the two booths she has at the store, Cook also sells a selection of formal dresses.

Rhonda Cook plans to offer a selection of formal dresses at her store. People can consign ones they already have, and it will give teenage girls who wouldn't otherwise get the chance the opportunity to try them on.Christopher Borro

"I have a 16-year-old, and I found that us moms, we go to St. Louis or Chaffee or wherever and we spent lots of money on dresses they wear one time. And then we try to sell them on Facebook marketplace. This gives those women a venue by which they can consign their dresses," she said.

It also gives girls who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to try on dresses who otherwise wouldn't have the chance.

Cook has just a few dresses right now but has more coming in.

The store's hours have not been finalized, though for the next few weeks Cook said it will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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