Wild Rose and Abe’s Old Hat Antiques and Country Store, two adjacent retail shops downtown, are both holding events on Saturday, Feb. 1

Earlier this month, SBJ reported that Monica Reed has gone from being an artist selling her creations at Wild Rose to being the new owner of the downtown shop, located at 115 N. Sixth St. in Springfield.

“I absolutely love the store,” said Reed, who explained that she had been helping with social media and other promotions for the store when she was asked to meet with the three owners. Reed said she was caught off guard when Clara O’Rourke, Sheila Kelly and Maureen Maloney offered her the opportunity to purchase the store from them.

“They asked me if I’d like to take over, and I was ecstatic. It was a dream come true,” said Reed. “It kind of fell in my lap.” However, Reed said her background in art, fundraising and event planning helped prepare her for running her own business, along with the fact that she had been an artist at the store herself.

An open house is planned for Saturday, Feb. 1 from 12-5 p.m. with a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m.

Next door at 111 N. Sixth St., Abe’s Old Hat will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Owners Mike and Trudy Naylor will hold an open house from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with refreshments, live entertainment and sales throughout the store. Idle Oath performs from 10 a.m.-noon, followed by Tom Irwin. In addition to selling antiques, folk art and gifts, the Trudys regularly host live music by singer-songwriters.

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