When I first met Connie Yore, we were both pretty much rookies in our respective businesses. She was the owner of a new gift shop in the Benton Harbor Holiday Inn Holidome on M-139 called The Turquoise Treasure Chest, and I was a fledgling media sales person for Mid-West Family Broadcasting. We did business together and she has been a retail force in the community for more than 41 years. Soon, however, she will retire from her latest venture, Days of Yore Antiques, and that will be the end of an era.
Connie also owned and operated a Turquoise Treasure Chest jewelry shop off the lobby of the St. Joseph Holiday Inn in the building that now houses the Silver Beach Hotel in downtown St. Joseph.
After several years of operating those gift shops, Connie and her inimitable husband Mike established The Emporium on Ship Street in the space that now houses both Waterfront Framing & Fine Art and the OnStaff employment agency.
The Yores successfully operated The Emporium from that space until a coveted space opened up along State Street and they moved to acquire that storefront to capitalize on a higher degree of foot traffic along that route and higher visibility in general. That space, which is now the home to Kilwin’s Chocolate Fudge & Ice Cream Shop, became Connie’s new shop for Days of Yore Antiques.
Later, they elected to move The Emporium to that high profile space and renamed it the Silver Beach Emporium, before buying the storefront next door and moved Days of Yore to that location which is where Days of Yore still operates today.
The entrepreneurial spirit has always been alive and strong in the Yore household as throughout the course of the years, they also operated Emporium shops in South Haven, Mishawaka and even in Saugatuck. They also owned and operated Silver Beach Jet Skis before Mike died at a far too early age. They were both prime supporters of the Venetian Festival for many years, and the mid-July car show that still retains the spirit of Thursday nights of festival week is named the Mike Yore Memorial Car Show each year.
After Mike died, Connie sold her resort wear business, but continued her antiques business for many years thereafter. She has asked me to help share her sincere thanks for her many and faithful customers over the years noting, “I will miss them, but it is time to move on.” She has enjoyed spectacular support for years, having been voted Southwest Michigan’s Best Place to Buy Antiques for more than 19-years in The Herald-Palladium’s Readers Choice sweepstakes.
During the upcoming Labor Day Weekend, Days of Yore Antiques will conduct a major “Blow Out Retirement Sale” offering 50 to 75-percent off everything storewide and then plans to close up shop in early December.
Lest you think Connie will simply head for the nearest rocking chair, she cautions, “Never fear! I will still be involved in antiques and you just may see my business pop up somewhere else in one form or another!” So, I guess, this particular end may be near, but — to quote Yogi Berra of New York Yankees fame — “It ain’t over, ’til it’s over!” Stay tuned.
You’ll find Days of Yore Antiques at 215 State Street in St. Joe and she is open Monday through Saturday from 10am until 6pm and noon until 5pm on Sundays. She specializes in costume and estate jewelry, china, glassware and vintage collectibles, local memorabilia and vintage holiday items. She has been in the business of antiques dating back to 1964.
