Good things are happening in downtown Beaver Dam, and the most recent is a new shop called “Here’s the Thing.”
The store at 114 Front St. offers a wide variety of merchandise at affordable prices and, according to owner Dean Stricker, will help build downtown’s reputation as a destination for shopping, dining, relaxing and conducting business.
Stricker moved to Beaver Dam in May, after a long career of hospital work in Eau Claire. Brother James told him about a building that was available, and a desire to be closer to family led him to relocate.
“My brother James and his family live here in Beaver Dam, and I’m not too far from my other brother in Verona, so this seemed like an ideal place,” Stricker said. “My sister still lives in Eau Claire, but when we get together it’s usually in this part of the state.”
The building was the perfect spot for one of his life’s ambitions.
“I’ve always wanted to run an antique store,” he said. “This was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.”
The building was in dire need of a clean-up, and a lot of work has gone into preparing for its opening. Stricker lives upstairs, and is renting to own with other family members backing the enterprise.
Not simply an antique store, Stricker hopes to offer a variety of merchandise that can’t easily be found elsewhere.
“Together with the dealers who rent space here, we offer just about anything else you can think of,” he said. “From coins, to marbles to glassware, to sports cards. We’ve got maps, we’ve got pins, we’ve got books. We’ve got crocks, we’ve got movies. You name it we’ve got it. We’re not your typical antique store.”
Pricing is competitive, and is based on Stricker’s cost.
“If I get a bargain I’ll mark it up a little and pass it along to my customers,” Stricker said.
An example is small envelopes filled with four or five coins. It’s a grab bag approach, where the buyer is guaranteed to receive at least $2 of value, but usually more.
“For $2 a person can get up to $7 in coins,” Stricker said. “I’m not trying to lose money; it’s just that I know how much I have invested in the coins and what I have to get to make it worth my while.”
He added, “Here’s the thing: To buy at a low price and sell at a low price will keep customers coming back. And to introduce ourselves to the area, this Friday and Saturday everything in the store will be 10 to 50 percent off. All of the vendors have agreed to take a percentage off for those two days.”
He also buys and sells silver, providing that service for those who might want it.
Another service is a bid wall, where items are sold to the highest bidder, and a ‘for sale’ board where items such as firearms and exercise equipment may be offered for sale.
Since the store is so big, Stricker needed a little help to fill it
“I was lucky to meet Bob Manke, who is a friend of my brother’s and has run two sports memorabilia stores in downtown Beaver Dam in the past.”
“I’ve got a little of everything,” Manke said. “Baseball, football, basketball, NASCAR, signatures, numbered pieces, die cast car models. I’ve got things for all ages.”
Stricker is eager to start a coin club, and welcomes youngsters to discover the joys of collecting by stopping in.
A praying mantis mascot in an aquarium is a conversation starter - not that one has to struggle in that regard.
“You can’t just sit behind the counter and not make eye contact with the customers,” Stricker said. “It’s fun to find out what people are looking for, and what you can do to help them out.”
Although some will say, “Oh no, not another antique store,” Stricker has another view.
“All of the antique shops here have been good to me,” Stricker said. “We will support each other and we’ll benefit from it. We do bring a lot of people to town. We’ve got customers from Milwaukee and Madison, and it all helps downtown, and the community, to thrive.”
In addition, it has been a life-changing enterprise for its owner.
“It has been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he said. “I enjoy the family. I’ve joined the church. I play cards two days a week. I was missing so much in my life and now I’ve got everything. The people in Beaver Dam have been so supportive and I’m grateful for it. The community has opened its arms to me and I want to reciprocate. I’m looking forward to what is ahead.”