No sweat: Anna says she’ll stay
From our weekly issue dated September 3, 2008
(Photo by Ali Madjdi for Illinois Valley News)
For 35-year entrepreneur Anna Swett, who’s just learning what it means to be a community icon, “There’s no such thing as junk.”
And although she had tentative plans to quit the business, especially after a recent major auction at her Anna’s Attic Treasures on the south side of Cave Junction, she says, “Well, I’m not sure about retiring, but I’d sure like to slow down a bit.”
She’s pretty much decided “to keep the shop open” because “so many people don’t want me to quit.” She also was told that she had become a community icon, but noted, “I had to look it up in a dictionary.”
Click here to learn more about how you can tell us what you think
When she announced that she was going to retire, and even sold her cash box at the auction, “People were upset -- but I’m still here,” she noted with a smile.
Anna’s life changed not quite three years ago when her husband, Forest, died after an illness. They were married for 27 years. He had operated One Horse Auction as an adjunct to Anna’s Attic Treasures. She has kept quite busy since Forest’s death.
Maintaining a stock and running a business on her own is hard work, what with having to go to auctions, check estate sales, and deal with offerings ranging from one box to a truckload of items brought by people looking to get rid of their stuff. She also has bought the unclaimed contents of storage units.
Besides that, she helps folks whenever she can. And she’s voluntarily served as chief clerk for the annual Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce auction. She might be able to handle the chore again this year, although she sold all her auction paraphernalia.
Advertisement:
She has had her store in Illinois Valley for 23 years, although she had been in the business for 12 previous years in Texas, Montana, and Crescent City, Calif. Coming to the valley, she bought J’s What Knots from Inez Johnson.
Anna notes that the site served as a stage stop years ago. And she fondly notes that Delbert Kauffman built the barn on the property, and that in the concrete are the handprints of her and her daughter, Stacie, who lives in Crescent City.
At auction, her 6.5-acre property was sold to a couple from Virginia. They previously bought 17 acres on the north side of the site. They might allow her to be a care-taker for an unknown period of time.
Meanwhile, although she wants to slow her pace, she will keep the “treasure store” open for as long as possible. She has a desire to eventually spend more time with her daughter; or her sister, Evie Peterson, who lives in Brookings on the Oregon coast.
Meanwhile, Anna has a wealth of items, from tools and clothing, books and furniture, to glassware and more.
“Nobody wants me to quit,” said Anna with quiet satisfaction.
