Salt City Antiques heads to Downtown Ypsi

By Christine Laughren
Apr. 14, 2009    ·    9:51 a.m.

It’s all about survival for Salt City Antiques owner Carol McEachran. That’s why she is moving her business from Depot Town to Downtown Ypsilanti.

“Too many of my clients want me to stay in business and I’m not ready to retire,” McEachran said as she sat behind her counter cleaning glass dishes with Windex.

Although there is still quite a bit of packing to do, McEachran said she hopes to be moved into her new location at 115 W. Michigan Ave. by Mother’s Day. She said she would be open by May 15 for sure if she couldn’t hit her original target.

After five years in the space, McEachran will be closing her doors at 15 E. Cross St. April 30. She said she hasn’t even had time to think about what she will miss about Depot Town. But after some reflection she said she would miss seeing the people she has come to see everyday in the area.

“The summer car shows were always fun too,” she said.

Salt City Antiques follows its old neighbor Nelson Amos Studio with the move. The painter moved from his space at 9 E. Cross St. to 23 E. Cross St. last year.

“When I realized it was not favorable for me to stay here I thought I would have to close,” she said. “But it was brought to my attention that space (on Michigan Avenue) was open.

“It’s a big deal when I can move and not have to close,” she said.

Except for all the packing and unpacking, McEachran is looking forward to the move to Downtown. The space that was once occupied by vintage clothing store Mother Fletchers and more recently the Ypsilanti Barack Obama Headquarters, will now be packed with two floors of antique furniture, rugs, books and more.

McEachran said the additional window space would give her the opportunity to display more of her retro selection as well. And in general, customers will have more merchandise to choose from with 1500 more square feet of display space.

“The move also gives us the chance to have later hours where other stores are open late,” McEachran said.

The long-time antique dealer said she plans to stay open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The store will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

McEachran said she has been painting and cleaning to get the new downtown space ready.

Salt City displays merchandise for more than 12 antique dealers. McEachran said all of them are excited about the move.

“I hardly got the words out of my mouth and they were just ecstatic about the move,” she said.

Other merchants in downtown are excited to have a new neighbor as well. McEachran said several downtown business owners have already welcomed her.

“I’m sure I’ll get to meet more people in downtown,” she said “It’s just a new adventure on another street in Ypsi.”