LARNED — The vacant former Assembly of God church on Broadway has a new purpose, thanks to a Colorado entrepreneur.
When Gary Clark found out that the church was for sale, he and his wife Julie knew exactly what they wanted to do. They’ve been doing it for the past 30 years.
“When we see an idle building, that’s what gets us started,” he said. “We are big on re-purposing, that’s been the focus of our business, and buildings can be re-purposed, too.”
The church, which was rebuilt in 1955, has been a fixture on the corner of 10th and Broadway since the 1800s. From the outset, Clark was enamored with the church’s look and its history, as well as its place on the Larned business district.
Old Church Antiques at 921 Broadway will blend the vintage items that Clark and his wife carried in from his store in Florence, Colo., with local vendors with their own inventory and style.
The former sanctuary has been divided into spaces of about 10-feet by 12-feet, which will allow room for about six to eight vendors.
Clark’s business model is all about foot-traffic-friendly browsing, so wall space will be available on an as-needed basis. “Most of the furniture, the bigger items, will be brought to the center so people can walk around and see,” he said.
“You won’t see any walls in here. I’ve put vendors along the wall where they can use a wall, but all the furniture is going to be in the center,” he said. “We’re vendor-centered. There are too many marketplaces where the vendors compete and we want everyone to have the best experience possible.”
The Clarks are busy making the space ready for a grand opening on Feb. 15, but the shop is open for people who would like to stop by and take a look. For earlier shoppers, cookies and donuts will be available while they last.
Hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Building a career
Clark’s earlier jobs as a draftsman (no computers, all by hand), military service aboard a submarine and car salesman, along with a love of history, prepared him for his experience as a commercial writer and novelist.
He met his wife while working as a car salesman.
The way he tells it, “She caught me when I was trying to sell her a used car,” Gary said. “In order to get her a car, I gave up my commission, special incentive program, dealer’s incentive program and part of the down payment.”
He then asked her if she had dinner plans, and she asked him what he had in mind.
“I took her out to dinner that night, and we’ve been together ever since.”
Both Gary and Julie worked together on building their own home in southern Colorado while he was writing various articles and “how-to” e-books. His series of historic fiction novels features a Jack Reacher-type hitchhiker who gets involved in various escapades steeped in real history, developed from a character in a poem he wrote about 20 years before.
He and Julie are now focused on the re-purposed furniture market. Their store in Colorado Springs, The Flipping Peddler, featured more than 80 vendors before the pandemic curtailed their style of business.
His philosophy of items with a purpose coincided with his hobby of restoring old phonographs. Several working pieces are visible on the church’s floor space, including a vintage Edison console model that is one of nine working models in the country.
“He called it the Stradivarius,” Clark said. “He would put the phonograph up on stage with the original artist that cut the record, and then pull the curtains. He would then defy you to tell which was which by the sound.”
While there are some truly collectible artifacts, most of the items the Clarks look to have to be re-purposable, he said. “I just really don’t have time for knickknacks.
“Millennials are my biggest customer base. They are trying to set up house and don’t really need antiques, but they need furniture that they can use. If you have a houseful of furniture and are tired of looking at it, you can get a whole different look in here. We’ve been doing that for the last 30 years.”
The antique business keeps the Clarks immersed in business and the community.
“I like keeping busy. I’ve always got something in the works,” he said. “I was asked recently why I didn’t retire and do things I wanted to do. Well, I’ve liked doing what I’ve been doing for the past 30 years; if that’s peoples’ version of retirement, then that’s it.”
Business Insight is a regular feature of the Great Bend Tribune, showcasing locally owned businesses and encouraging folks to shop local as we near the Christmas holidays. Contact news@gbtribune.com for more information.
