NEW SPACE, SAME MISSION. Sylvia Gengenbach (pictured above) the owner of Town & Country Antiques (632 Broadway St. S, Menomonie), has brought 12 of her former vendors to a new downtown storefront, following the decimation of its former location last May by an electrical fire. 

“I made the decision the morning I stood there, while the fire was still smoldering,” Sylvia Gengenbach, owner of Town & Country Antiques, said as she described the moment she knew her downtown Menomonie shop would find a way to carry on.

Following an electrical fire at 244 Main St. E in late May, almost nothing remained from the Town & Country Antiques shop, which had stood on the corner of this stretch for 20 years.

Gengenbach, an owner of Town & Country since 2017, knew an uncertain future lay ahead, but one truth remained: her vendors — and their success — would be the business’s first priority in recovering from such a loss.

A view of the Menomonie Fire Department — and remains of Town & Country Antiques — at the corner of Third and Main Street in downtown Menomonie. (Image via Facebook)

As she sat on the front sidewalk, facing the decimated 5,000-square-foot building, one by one, vendors showed up. They each shared the same sentiment: Town & Country Antiques was not solely the inventory on display; it’s the people who, in staying together, can allow the antique shop to endure its circumstances.

“I started from that moment (on) to look for a new location,” Gengenbach shared.

As the summer season arrived, Gengenbach used her sister business, TC Vintage (633 Broadway St. S., Menomonie), as a temporary location to house as much inventory from 25 former vendors as possible. As if it were fate, the former owner of UpCreek Vintage approached Gengenbach — with the intent of relocating — and offered their space across the street.

Now, Town & Country Antique's new location (632 Broadway St. S.), open since early September, is home to 12 vendors; an ambitious timeline made possible thanks to the community members who have supported the business's transformation.

“I could not have done this had I not had the support of the community; the support of the city; the support of my vendors,” Gengenbach said. “The community really wanted to see this business come back.”

Gengenbach humbly shared that the two adjacent establishments, The Gin Mill and Mood Boutique, have ceased operations since the fire; she acknowledges the loss for those who invested their livelihoods, passions and found comfort in those places.

"I could not have done this had I not had the support of the community; the support of the city; the support of my vendors." -Sylvia Gengenbach, owner, Town & Country Antiques

When a patron visited the former Town & Country Antiques on Main Street, Gengenbach and her staff would encourage equal patronage to neighboring downtown establishments.

“People would often spend hours in (our former) store,” Gengenbach said. “Then, they would ask, ‘where else can we go?' We referred them, continually, to other businesses downtown.”

She also acknowledges the support of the former — and current building property owners — from both downtown Menomonie storefronts, who have believed in Town & Country Antique's success over the years.

Today, the relocated Town & Country Antiques — despite renting a fraction of its former square footage — remains home to an expansive collection of limited and high-quality antiques and pieces of history. Victorian furniture, turn-of-the-century artwork, pottery, glassware, jewelry, and rare coins are just a few of the “one-of-a-kind” specializations her vendors have brought to the storefront.

An interior view of Town & Country Antique's new location on Broadway street in downtown Menomonie. The shop remains home to a collection  of antique memorabilia and pieces of history, all sourced from vendors local to the Chippewa Valley.

The local vendors, many of which have been with the business prior to Gengenbach taking ownership, are what make the business resonate with patrons. “I might manage (the business), but they are the heart and soul of Town & Country Antiques,” Gengenbach noted.

Gengenbach said she visions a brighter future for the antique store; residents and visitors passing through Menomonie have already demonstrated a strong desire to foster a continued, thriving downtown.

This commitment to gather together and support independent businesses will only deepen amidst unexpected, pivotal moments. 

“The community will do what is needed in times of crisis — as well as just on a daily basis — to make sure that downtown stays vibrant,” Gengenbach said.

Town & Country Antiques (632 Broadway St. S.) offers collectibles, antique goods, and more in downtown Menomonie. For more information and ongoing updates on the relocated storefront, visit its Facebook page online (@antiquesmenomonie).