The Lantern Post Antiques & Lamp Repair

The Lantern Post Antiques & Lamp Repair Shop is fast approaching its final days of business. Our last day will be Saturday, September 26, 2009.

        After much soul searching, we have decided to CLOSE the Antique & Lamp Repair Shop. As many of you may know, many may not ~ November of 2004 my daughters Ashlie & Alyssa and I took a huge leap and I left a 20 year career with the Department of Defense and purchased The Lantern Post Herb Shop and Lamp Repair business from long time resident, Emma Wagner. The girls were an intricate factor in making this leap from a job I invested the better part of my adult life to, to being totally responsible for succeeding or failing.  I never had a fear of not succeeding ~ I had so many dreams and desires..... and with me the girls were by my side.  I worked the shop and beside me were my girls ??? for good, bad and the ugly times of mother-daughter?s being together so much and Mom being the boss! But none-the-less memories I will thank God for the rest of my life.

        Just a little over 1 year of owning this wonderful business I lost both my daughters in a car accident there in this wonderful little town I loved ~ Lithopolis. And from that moment hence, I have never been whole and have been struggling to determine ?who I want to be for the rest of my life and how I am to get where I am suppose to be.?

Months had passed and the business trudged along without me for the most part.  Later that year I was offered a position in the same field I held while at DoD ~ and moved to Washington DC to see if I could find myself  ~ both financially and spiritually. I traveled back and forth to Ohio and found myself praying that one day I could get all my finances cleaned up and back on my feet and to again run the shops.

      The summer of 2008 the individual I trusted to run the Herb Shop gave me their 2-wk notice and took a position with another Health Shop.  I was heartbroken, but I also accepted what was handed me. But then within a few weeks an individual approached me and wanted to purchase the Herb Shop. How wonderful! This wonderful business that helps so many people will remain open! Three months later, the new owner shut her doors and walked away ??.

Now 1-year later after many changes at the shop we opened up the 2nd floor where the Lamp Repair Shop once was and filled it with antiques thanks to Donna and all her dedication of making sure that every change was just perfect. We brought the lamp repair shop into the 1st floor and The Lamp Lady (Sharyn) was at her glory ~ the shop was looking wonderful! The gardens were revamped (thank you Heidi ? you are truly a blessing), the entire building was painted and the shutters pop with The Lantern Post - Green, the back garden building was rented to a wonderful couple (Bryan and Tina) who operate The Computer Shack, and the Nature?s Barn, (Charlotte) who once was located in the garden building moved up front to where the herb shop once was.  Things are looking up! And leaving now, while the property is at its glory, I feel is the best position to leave it by. This is what makes the decision to close the shop so difficult. But also recognizing that economically, times are horrific, and trying to run a shop with being out of town for employment purposes is most draining.

     I am not a city-girl and I do not see myself calling DC or Northern VA 'home', as 'home' is where your heart is. And my love will always be in small-towns Lithopolis & Canal Winchester where I lived and raised my girls for over 20 years ?? but times have changed, and with those changes decisions had to be made, as difficult as it was.

    I want to thank all of you that have become friends and extended family to us during our fantastic run at small biz ownership ~ All of you will be greatly missed.

   Here?s to all the wonderful memories we have made and to those that will be made ~ may God bless us all!

Leslie Fisher

Got Clutter? Need cash - We got Options!

Often times we find ourselves hanging onto things from loved ones past or that we picked up along our life's journey only to recognize that they don't mean all that much to us or that we will never find the time nor energy to do with it as we once thought. They have been shoved away in the attic, a dirty garage or dark basement. 

I know all too well as I am guilty of this - both my basement and my garage were jammed with pictures, lamps, tables, carpets, mirrors and every small knick-knack one could ever imagine. The difference with me is that they were not family heirlooms, but items I picked up from tag sales, yard sales, auctions and from friends and family. I had wanted for then all to fit into my decor - fix them up into a piece that any HGTV host would be proud of. But as time went on, I forgot about them, broke some due to shoving them around to make more room or simply tossed them.

Then it dawned on me one afternoon that I more than likely paid something for it and if I hadn't I must have thought it had some value, so now what? I enjoyed going to yard sales, flea markets, tag sales and auctions and I didn't particularly want to quit something I enjoyed.

Sssssoooooo here is where The Lantern Post can help you.

The Lantern Post has some options for your once thought of treasures and to support you in an enjoyable hobby and life style of enjoyment and appreciation of vintage and antiques.

(1) Get together some large trash bags, boxes, wrapping paper, a note pad and a magic marker. 

(2) Little by little begin to sort through once space at a time. IE spare bedroom, garage, basement. When dealing with a large space, brak the area down into 4-sections.

(3) Toss the junk

(4) Box items that are not value added and mark - DONATE

(5) Take the items that are truly antique or collectibles to The Lantern Post -

CONSIGNMENT or  SELL;

The Lantern Post has over 1800 square feet of retail space in their 2 story circa 1800 historically registered business. On the 2nd floor, there are spaces available to those interested in selling their antiques and collectibles! The Lantern Post offers several options:

* Rent space for $45 a month and 30% commission to the shop and actively work one day a week .

* Do not rent or work and we will display your items and you pay 35% to the shop.

* Allow us to access your items you have brought tot he shop and possibly purchaes them or refer you to other oppurtunities.

Any of these options will get rid of your clutter, make you extra money and allow you to enjoy your new found freedom! Sound interesting? Have questions? Well just drop us an email and we get back to you!

Note: Signed contracts of all terms and conditions must be signed by both parties prior to any items being brought into the shop. As not all collections or antiques are the best fit in a shop, not all shops are a good fit for all antiques and collectibles - so when contacting us, please provide a description of your items, pictures and your interest.

Please feel free to stop by Tues - Sat, 11-5pm, or visit one of our websites: http://www.thelanternpost.com http://www.lanternpost.webs.com

WOW! Where do I begin?!  So much has happened that I am not sure where to start! Lets see ..........

      The GARDENS have had a huge transformation thanks to our new addition to 'our family', Heidi! She is really a blessing ~ We have dedicated more of the space into an actual grassy-lawn, and the garden beds are defines and blooming with herbs, tomatoes & peppers, and Ohio Wild flowers .... and we cannot forget, our beautiful sunflowers are as stunning as ever!

    The NATURE"S BARN has planted many OHIO plants and they are really attracting the humming birds and the peanut bird-feeders are blessing us with some really neat woodpeckers!

    The BACK PATIO has been cleaned top to bottom and everything from an old potter's table, pottery, baskets and coke cases have been hung and are in their place!  

     We also want to WELCOME ... THE COMPUTER SHACK!! The moved into the garden building, located in the gardens the end of May. Tina & Bryan Brumfield are the proprietors of the computer business. I will personally say that I have referred 2 of my best friends to Bryan and TIna and BOTH of them have purchased a new laptop and are raving about the customer service and honesty that they received!  

    The entire building has had a new facial  ~ it has been power washed, caulked, cleaned, repaired and painted!  Boy does it POP!!! Thanks to the wonderful company - DOWLER & Sons Painting from Carroll, OH ~ great people, excellent workers and now new friends of The Lantern Post!

The Antique & Lamp Repair Shop has also expanded and had a good scrubbing! There are now over (9) rooms open within the shop ~ (4) rooms on the 2nd floor and (5) rooms on the 1st floor leading out to the back patio and gardens!

The 2nd floor is full of Small Tables and Night Stands, Dressers, Lamps, LINENS, OLD FABIRIC, QUILTS, and Collectibles!

The 1st floor is full of a Parlor, Living Room, Dining Room and the Lamp Repair Shop FULL of Lighting, BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE, PICTURES and COLECTIBLES. Then there is the KITCHEN ...... We are most proud of this room ....... it has been cleaned, things moved, re arranged, and decorated in a manner that allows you to see all that is displayed but also allows for a beautiful view of the gardens in the back yard through the huge wall of original windows!

We are still looking for that ONE new person to come on board with us and set up their collections of antiques and wares! This new member will allow us to be open on Mondays ~ or so that is our desire! If you are interested in selling your collections and supporting your hobby and love of antiques ~ and would like to become a member of our family; working 1 day a week ........ email us or better yet, stop in and see us!

Leslie, Sharyn, Donna, Betty and The Computer Shack (Bryan & Tina) & Nature's Barn (Charlotte) would like to extend our most sincerest appreciation for your patronage ....... without you .... We would not be successful!

Outdoor LIghting ~

This summer The Lantern Post has rewired many lights because of them overheating and shorting. We started asking more questions and foound out that many are staying home and making their outdoors into more of an outdoor retreat. In doing so, they are using inside lamps outdoors. While most of the time this is alright, you have to be very careful in making sure that the lights are in good operating order. AND ~ that they are safe from the outdoor elements. 

As I am not an electrician ~ I will stress that you should make sure that your external outlets are in good order and that you are NOT running electrical cords in an unsafe manner. ONLY use external extension cords made specifically for outdoor use.

Back to The Lantrne Post and the increase in rewiring such lights ~ Please tell The Lantern Post that you plan on using the light outdoors. We will make sure a heavier electrical cord and partys are used.

Contact Sharyn at The Lantern Post, Tuesday ~ Saturdays, 11-5pm for help with your lighing needs!