Local businessman Todd Hennard wants to bring more people to downtown Bradford. Last week, he took another step toward that goal.
Hennard reopened Main Street Antiques at 86 Main St. on Friday. The building had sat empty for about three years, he said.
Hennard decided to remodel the space, open a business and keep the same name.
“We’re thinking it’ll help all of downtown,” Hennard said.
A grand opening is planned for this Saturday at the store, with items being 20 percent off. The celebration will include hors d’oeuvres and cocktails from noon to 6 p.m.
The store has many items, including those from Zippo Manufacturing Co. and Kendall oil. Main Street Antiques also has a dinner tray painted by the late Bradford native Helen Hume, China sets, marble top tables and a chair that converts into a ladder. There’s also a barrel from the former Emery oil. Hennard said the inventory will be added to each week.
“The windows are fantastic for an antique store,” Hennard said.
Hennard is no stranger to downtown Bradford. He opened the Main Street Mercantile in 2011 and took over ownership of the Bradford Main Street Movie House last August.
He said the Main Street Mercantile has been doing well and the Main Street Movie House has been seeing a boost in business each month. Hennard said that residents like local ownership of the movie theater rather than a company from the Buffalo, N.Y., area. Now, he also owns an antique shop.
“Now, it gives some options for people downtown,” Hennard said.
Hennard said the prices in the antique shop are reasonable for high-quality items. But the store is not a drop-off point for antiques.
“We have a form that can be filled out with the item, description, asking price and a picture of the item can be attached,” said Sam Aaron, who is Hennard’s secretary. “We just don’t want people bringing in antiques all day and cluttering up the store.”
The store is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Is Hennard planning on opening any other new businesses? He might. He said he is keeping his eyes open for a good deal on a building.
All in all, though, he’s seeing fewer empty storefronts on Main Street.
Hennard doesn’t just own businesses in the area. He owns dozens of apartments, too.
