Junktober 30: 70 miles of hunting for shoppers

By REBECCA MCKINSEY
r.mckinsey@carrollspaper.com

Stepping into Skeeter Creek Fabricators Arts & Antiques in Jefferson is an adventure.

Then, it becomes a treasure hunt.

The first turn around the store might reveal the bookshelf and art hanging on the walls, but the next uncovers the old book tucked away or the stained-glass window hanging from the rafters.

Open a little more than a year, the art and antiques store sells about 40 vendors’ wares, as well as the artwork of its proprietors, Curt Nelson of Jefferson and Ken Bose of Perry. The store is one of 29 participating in a “Junktober 30” event Saturday that will provide shoppers with a 70-mile swath of treasure hunting along U.S. Highway 30, with participating businesses from Ogden to Denison.

Four Jefferson businesses will participate, including Skeeter Creek Fabricators, The Printer’s Box, Art On The Fly and Country Blessings.

“(Skeeter Creek Fabricators) is a unique shop,” Bose said. “You’re gonna find a lot of original stuff that you’re not going to find just anywhere. That’s what we’re shooting for. (Junktober 30) is our way to reach out to other people to come in and see what we have.”

Nelson, a retired Panorama Community Schools art teacher, works with a variety of media, including a lot of clay, and Bose does a variety of woodworking: Creating small reproductions of customers’ houses and barns, crafting “critter sticks” — walking sticks with animals heads carved into their tops — and making clocks. Visitors to the store might find Bose jamming on his guitar to whatever country or contemporary gospel song that popped into his head on any given day.

Area business owners want out-of-town shoppers to know that the area along Highway 30 in western Iowa is a destination for that type of shop.

Junktober 30, similar to the Junk Jubilee in Des Moines and Junkstock in Omaha, allows shoppers to hit a handful of businesses in one day that offer a wide variety of repurposed, new-to-you items — as well as local crafters’ wares.

“A lot of people like to travel, to spend a day or weekend away and focus on the type of businesses they like to go to,” said Cindy Lawler, owner of Random Ruby’s in Carroll, who helped organize the event. “We really want to highlight the local businesses and these local craftsmen, because there’s just so many big box stores. We want people to come and see what we offer, and we want them to see they don’t have to go (far) to buy things like that — they can get it right here in western Iowa.”

In addition to what is often termed “junk” shops, flower, woodworking, antiques, quilting, art, consignment shops and more are participating in the daylong event.

Each business involved in Junktober 30 is choosing its level of participation, ranging from large sales to additional merchandise to an emphasis on fall and winter items. The day tentatively runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, although some businesses’ hours will vary. Each participating store has maps available that offer descriptions of the 29 businesses and what they offer. Businesses involved with the event are in Denison, Schleswig, Vail, Westside, Arcadia, Carroll, Jefferson, Paton and Ogden.

The event will benefit the cities in which shoppers stop as well, organizers said — especially if it turns into a multi-day affair in the future. Restaurants, convenience stores and more all could see the results of a temporary influx of “junking” shoppers.

“I can’t believe how far people will come for these kinds of things,” Lawler said. “I think it’ll be really good for the cities, and it’ll be good for the businesses.”

Organizers already are thinking about next year’s Junktober 30, which they hope could be a multi-day event that incorporates the use of outdoor booths or schools for vendors who don’t have a place to sell their items.

Businesses from as far as Woodbine and Boone have asked about participating, Lawler said.
“It could be this half of Highway 30 for our state participating,” she said.

Participating Junktober 30 businesses
Ogden
Twice The Story, 321 W. Walnut St.
Made To Gaze, 125 W. Walnut St.
Paton
Sweet Betty Lou’s, 327 X Ave.
Jefferson
Skeeter Creek Fabricators Arts & Antiques, 104 E. State St.
The Printer’s Box, 107 E. Lincoln Way
Art On The Fly, 505 E. Lincoln Way
Country Blessings, 1263 Pioneer Ave.
Carroll
The Flower Garden & Gift Shop, 224 W. 5th St.
New Hope Village Bargain Shoppe, 823 Plaza Dr.
Lincoln Highway Trading Company, 110 W. 6th St.
Junk in Our Trunk, 20145 Kittyhawk Ave.
Barn-Junque Sisters, 23591 Highway 30 E.
Designs By Bernie, 218 W. 8th St.
Rags 2 Riches Consignment, 1104 Heires Ave.
A Touch of Country, 515 N. Adams St. #217
Random Ruby’s, 506 N. Court St.
Carroll Design & Salvage, 734 E. Highway 30
Change of Seasons, 855 Plaza Drive
Jen’s “Junk”tion, 17402 Kittyhawk Ave.
Artworks Studio, 512. N. Adams St.
Arcadia
Flower Shack, 121 E. Front St.
Arcadia Quilts, 201 S. Gault St.
Mary’s Refinishing & Antiques & Uniques, 108 and 113 Main St.
Westside
The Ornery Goat Antiques and Collectibles, 10030 Highway 30
Vail
A Farmer’s Daughter, 204 Main St.
Schleswig
Crossgrain Woodworking, 205 Cedar St.
Denison
Streck Sales, 421 S. 10th
The Junkery, 1327 Broadway
Good Samaritan Center Thrift Shop, 801 Highway 39 N.