Miser’s Hoard
After many years of dealing antiques, Miser’s Hoard in Empire recently expanded its business to include new items. Paul and Heidi Skinner’s expansion included giving up almost their entire first floor of living space — what dedication! Theirs is a beautifully curated collection of new and old, including representation of the work by local artist, Tim Lewis. Lewis designs the Empire Asparagus Festival posters and is a world-renowned illustrator who just happens to live in Empire.
Contact information:
10126 West Front Street, Empire … (231) 326-6081 … www.MisersHoard.com
Read this excerpt from Ashlea Walter’s story, “Curiosities abound at the Miser’s Hoard” which ran in the Glen Arbor Sun in June 2002:
A stroll around Miser’s Horde will surely leave the curious shopper with a feeling that the Skinners are interesting people with eclectic, thoughtful, and witty sensibilities. Because the retail space is small yet spacious, Paul and Heidi will be swapping antiques throughout the year from their encyclopedic collection of items. Although the collection is both rich in depth and breadth, there are some themes that are sure to resonate with the Up North antiquer. One will find fishing lures and reels named the “Killer Dillon” and the “Paw Paw River Go Getter,” a ship’s course corrector, quirky 1970’s Traverse City Snowmobile Racing pins, maps and postcards, and other items from local businesses long ago come and gone that tell the story of the area and its people.
According to Paul and Heidi, the antique business is one of natural storytelling. They look forward to meeting new pedestrians and dealers, not only because they are always looking to buy from individuals, but because the people and the items usually have good stories to tell. And with any antique comes an interesting story. When asked how they became involved in the antique business, Heidi responded, of course, with a story about an old vase. When Heidi was moving from Texas to Michigan, she needed to have a garage sale to get rid of a lot of her accumulated treasures. Before the garage sale she decided to peruse a few local antique shops to check on some prices. Much to her surprise, she had to revise her prices because her prized vase was priced at $95. And so the business began. Paul’s arrival a few years later contributed a rich sense of history to the business. And so the business grew.
