[Grizz1963]

So we got to the small antiques shop in Beacon, Iowa only to find it closed on a Monday and Tuesday.

This was of course Monday afternoon.

We did see a pair of Shell backed vintage steel chairs that we wanted to get for Dennis for the gas station veranda, so made some effort.

So we called the number on the door, first one, then the other.

Unfortunately my number must have come up as a strange number being a U.K. dealing code etc, and they put the phone down after answering it, and then continued to not answer.

Bugggerr!!

So Craig walked two properties over (there are no fences in Beacon) and spoke to an elderly lady who was mowing her significant lawn on a ride on mower.
She came back to the shop with him and tried to get hold of the owner for us too, using her mobile phone, but no luck.
So an hour later, we decided to give up and he’d North to Monroe to Ray and Eve’s place.

Upon leaving we drove past a corner property one block away, that had loads of yard art out front, for sale.

Craig and I stopped, to see if there was anything interesting to buy, and ended up speaking to the owner and her daughter and their dog........ typical small town story, husband had passed the year before and wife and daughter were trying to get rid of stock and sell up. Craig bought a small metal chicken from them, and while we were speaking to them and playing with the dog, asked if they knew the antique shops owner......

Yes, it was her late husbands friend and he had bought all the best stuff already for his shop.

Could you possibly try get hold of him for us??

The daughter had to prompt the mum to go fetch her phone and get hold of the owner, whom it turns out, is a full time plumber.

After 10 minutes she came out and said that he had agreed to come back and open up for us, could we wait 20 minutes?

This did turn into nearer an hour, but still worth it in the end.


So Steve met us at the shop and opened up all his buildings, one is a large road trailer filled with great stuff.


He agreed to sell the two chairs to us at exactly the price Craig and I had thought we would be prepared to pay.

I asked if he had any others that were rotten, damaged or cheaper too, and he said he had sow more, different to what we had bought, so we walked to another property and he showed us a square back, and a square back rocker. The rocker price was agreed, as they are a bit more rare and expensive.

Under them, under the tree was a “Glider” bench, three seater.........

This was the Holy Grail of this part of the trip.

Dennis wanted one desperately but they are crazy prices at antique stores and usually two seaters.

So I asked if it was for sale and Steve, the owner said it was not his, but after asking him, he called the owner, who was away, and got a price.

Contacting Dennis with photos, than you to our travelling internet hotspot and Messenger, followed by a call, it was agreed to buy it.....

This was a massive win, but we now had to load and secure it all and travel a few more days with our bounty on the rear of the Silverado.

Thankfully we were in the Midwest, where things rarely gets stolen, removed or interfered with.

So even in public spaces, overnight in car parks..... it was all safe.

I will post up some photos of just one range of collectibles Steve has, he has some seriously good stuff.


Pepsi.........


Anyone interested?


Too bad if not, pics up soon.