Danes Home Antiques01

Waupaca County Post

February 9, 2006

Dane’s Home Antiques Under New Management

By Angie Landsverk, Post Staff Writer

Bev Comer does not consider working at Dane’s Home Antiques to be a job. She sees it as a passion.

Comer is the new manager of the business and is excited about the many changes already under way and those to come in the future.

“I’ve always loved this shop. I wanted to turn it around. I worked the first two months free,” she said.

Comer has been interested in antiques since she had her first apartment and had her own shop in Coleman, Wis., from 1995 until 200, until eventually moving the entire operation to Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is where she grew up and had lived previously.

In 2003, she returned to Wisconsin, and a friend of hers, who had been a dealer at her shop and also a dealer at the Dane’s Home, told Comer that the business had changed hands.

Bob Doran bought the business three years ago from Richard Morin and Todd Hoffman, who had bought the building in 1993 and then opened the antique business there.

Doran, of San Diego, has friends in Waupaca and bought the building because he had always loved it, Comer explained.

The antique portion of the business was still handled by the previous owners up until last fall when Doran took over and hired Comer to be the new manager.

“My job as manager,” she said, “was to bring this back to its glory days. To bring quality dealers in and to make it a fun and interesting place to shop.”

She said many long-time dealers and customers had left as the business had become dark and disorganized.

“There was lots of merchandise that wasn’t appropriate for an antique shop,” she said.

Since taking over as manager in mid-October, Comer has been working to brighten up the space.

In all, there is 10,000 square feet of space that covers three floors.

Construction of the building began on Aug. 1, 1894. The Danish Brotherhood built it as their club, using it for meetings.

The original purpose of the building was to provide a place for young Danish boys and men to come and play cards or read books – a place to keep them out of trouble

Through the years, the Dane’s Home was the site of many dances in its popular ballroom. Wedding dances were even held there.

The Dane’s Home was used perhaps as late as 1939 before membership dropped off.

The building then stood vacant until 1945 when it was bought and became Henry Billie’s sheet metal workshop. Billie used the building until about 1975.

From the mid-1970s until 1993, the Dane’s Home again stood empty and was often the target of vandalism.

Morin and Hoffman, who renovate old buildings, spent about six months renovating the Dane’s Home before opening the antique business in 1993.

The new manager of the business says a lot of people just want to tour the building.

Comer said if anyone has any old interior pictures of events that took place in the Dane’s Home, she would like to borrow them and have them reproduced and framed so she can hang them on the walls.

She sees antiquing as a form of recycling and said when it comes to antique dealers, they are almost like a family.

“Everyone knows everybody,” she said.

There are a variety of antiques there from bureaus, headboards and desks to old books, glassware and jewelry.

“Right now, the main floor and upstairs are completely rented. I probably have seven spaces in the ballroom,” she said.

One of her additions included adding three display cases near the front of the store, on its main floor where visitors will see small items such as old coins and jewelry.

“I have dealers from Hurley, Antigo, Green Bay, the Valley and Oconto Falls,” Comer said.

One dealer features architectural elements such as stained glass windows and leaded glass windows. Another dealer reupholsters vintage furniture.

Dane’s Home Antiques is open six days a week and is closed on Wednesdays. The business is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all other days.

Often joining Comer behind the counter is her 16-month-old Australian Shepherd, Slinger.

Comer commented on why antiques continue to be popular.

“If someone goes out and buys a $3,000 bedroom set at a major furniture store and six months later is moving across the country and needs to sell it, it is used furniture,” she said. “You can pay the same amount on an antique, and it’s an investment. You’re getting solid wood, handcrafted wood. It doesn’t lose its value.”

Comer said people like buying a piece of history – something that others have used and cherished.

“It’s like bringing someone else to live in your house,” she said.

Comer has been busy brightening up the space and adding special features to the store.

“In the ballroom, I’m doing an old schoolroom,” she said “I have a blackboard that came out of New London’s old high school. A dealer is bringing slates. Another will be bringing old maps. In a couple weeks, the room will be done, and everything in it will be for sale. It is space that isn’t rented, but it will give people ideas.”

Yet another dealer is painting a mural on a wall in the space that she has rented.

Comer said she is letting the artistic side of her dealers come out as they design their space and added that she has space available to rent.

She has also rented space on the walls, making it a print and art gallery.

As Comer talked about being the new manager, a dealer was moving many large, beautiful items into the space that he had rented.

She was excited as she watched him bring them into the store.

“This isn’t a job,” Comer said. “This is a passion.”