Clarion River Trading Company: More than just an antique store
The Clarion River Trading Company store has more than just antiques, and once you walk in you will be amazed at the selection they provide. Owner Tim Leathers expanded upon the variety of items that are offered in the store.
“The store is not only an antique store, as it’s a variety of an adirondack country type of store. I offer quality sportswear, men’s and women’s clothing, great hats, and quality woolrich socks, and even antique jewelry. Gloves and mittens are the seasonal items available right now, and there are also wool jackets, flannel shirts, women’s tops, and sweaters. There is just about anything and everything in the store. My idea is to sell more items at a lower price so there is faster turnover.”
Leathers, a Ridgway native, has vast experience in the retail business, especially in the city of Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been in retail for many years and went to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for a degree in color and design and retail management, and have run big stores in Pittsburgh in Station Square Homeplace, Urban Renewal on Walnut Street and Shadyside in Pittsburgh, and I was a store manager for the Bombay Company store in the Monroeville Mall.”
Once he dipped into the waters of the retail business in Pittsburgh, Leathers came back home and started The Ridgway Heritage Council, which has been instrumental in bringing new life to the streets of downtown Ridgway.
“I came back and started the Ridgway Heritage Council, which sparked a transformation for a lot of changes in downtown Ridgway-I do that in my free time and still have an interest in doing that.”
Leathers described the recent success that store has enjoyed, as they were successful even through the heat of the pandemic.
“This has been a terrific year for the store with the pandemic being such a downer, the success of the store has turned into something better than I ever expected. We’re trying to keep as much as we can in the store for variety and selection.”
There is a shop within the store, Leathers noted, and is owned by one of his close friends.
“There is a country primitive shop inside the store called “The Butter Churn” owned by a great friend of mine, Cheryl Francen. The shop contains primitive Adirondack types of things that you would see pre 1900’s along the old Clarion River or in the great homes of Ridgway.”
An interesting fact about the store is that it has seen visitors pass through from several different countries, according to Leathers.
I’ve had people stop in who were on their way to Washington D.C. or Niagara Falls who were from Sweden, Norway, England, Australia, Beijing, China and so on. You truly will never know who will walk through the door.”
Leathers never envisioned owning a storefront on North Broad Street as a young child, and not only has he owned a storefront, but he's sustained success on North Broad for 18 years.
“I never thought as a little boy I would be on Broad Street having a store and seeing what it has turned into. It doesn't feel like work for me because I enjoy it so much. In the sixties and seventies in Ridgway there were a lot of the great shops on Main Street and not on Broad Street, but the thoroughfare here now is a win win.”
Lastly, he wanted to highlight the importance of shopping small, and he takes pride in all of the small businesses in our area thriving.
“This year in particular, Shop Small was a great rendezvous for everybody-this was the largest participation we've had for “Shop Small Saturday ever, and it doubled last year's output. When you can support a small store you are supporting their livelihood, because it's not cheap to own a big building. It was so incredible to see local people shop small in their own town.”
Leathers noted that he makes sure he does all of his Christmas shopping locally, and has made it a point to not shop at a big chain store for the holidays.
Stop in to Clarion River Trading Company this holiday season and beyond to see the plentiful amount of items they have to offer and support other local businesses this holiday season.
Clarion River Trading Company is located on 19 North Broad Street in Ridgway. To find out additional information about the store, you can visit their Facebook page or call at (814) 772-5908.