Local antique shop closes after 12 years
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| Barbara Ragan, former owner of the Sweetser Antique Mall, 207-209 Main St., sits for a photo. For the Chronicle-Tribune |
Barbara Ragan reminisces after closing the store
BY KENNETH HARVEY
reporter@comteck.com
SWEETSER — For more than half a century, Barbara and Clarence Ragan have called Sweetser home and for the last 12 years they have owned and operated the Sweetser Antique Shop.
“Sweetser is home to us,” said Barbara, who ran the day-to-day operations of the antique shop.
The Ragans moved to Sweetser in 1957 and raised their family there.
Their son and daughter grew up in Sweetser and graduated from Oak Hill High School. Now their children and grandchildren all live out of state.
The Sweetser Antique Shop closed its doors in early 2007 after health concerns limited the time Barbara could be at the store.
The Ragans decided to auction off the remaining antiques they had at the shop. They had their first auction in September and the final auction was on March 1.
The Ragans opened the Sweetser Antique Shop in 1996 after they closed their gift shop. Barbara said the couple wanted to continue a business and she liked antiques. It was a perfect fit.
Clarence and Barbara own the brick building on Main Street in Sweetser where the shop was located.
“I liked buying antiques and rearranging the shop,” Barbara said. “Clarence did the heavy work at auctions and moved the big items when I rearranged.”
Clarence preferred to stay in the background and let Barbara run the shop.
Meeting people from across the country was always one of Barbara’s favorite parts of the business.
“I always liked asking people from across the United States and from foreign countries what brought them to scenic Sweetser, Ind.,” Barbara said.
The couple has no set plans for the future as they deal with some health concerns.
Clarence has some printing equipment in the building that he uses. He currently has an intern from Indiana Wesleyan University to help him.
“Sweetser is home to us,” said Barbara, who ran the day-to-day operations of the antique shop.
The Ragans moved to Sweetser in 1957 and raised their family there.
Their son and daughter grew up in Sweetser and graduated from Oak Hill High School. Now their children and grandchildren all live out of state.
The Sweetser Antique Shop closed its doors in early 2007 after health concerns limited the time Barbara could be at the store.
The Ragans decided to auction off the remaining antiques they had at the shop. They had their first auction in September and the final auction was on March 1.
The Ragans opened the Sweetser Antique Shop in 1996 after they closed their gift shop. Barbara said the couple wanted to continue a business and she liked antiques. It was a perfect fit.
Clarence and Barbara own the brick building on Main Street in Sweetser where the shop was located.
“I liked buying antiques and rearranging the shop,” Barbara said. “Clarence did the heavy work at auctions and moved the big items when I rearranged.”
Clarence preferred to stay in the background and let Barbara run the shop.
Meeting people from across the country was always one of Barbara’s favorite parts of the business.
“I always liked asking people from across the United States and from foreign countries what brought them to scenic Sweetser, Ind.,” Barbara said.
The couple has no set plans for the future as they deal with some health concerns.
Clarence has some printing equipment in the building that he uses. He currently has an intern from Indiana Wesleyan University to help him.
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