DuluthCommunityNews

From floor to ceiling, wall to wall, random antiques are stacked, scattered and hung. Endless bookshelves are lined with ancient novels and old fashioned children’s books.

Mark Kilen sits behind the counter punching today’s earnings into a standard calculator, writing the totals by hand in a notebook.

Kilen has been the owner of Old Town Antiques and Books for the past eleven years where approximately 15 dealers bring their vintage finds to sell.

“This is strictly a hobby job,� Kilen says. “My own passion is in the used book business.�

Despite a few vintage clothing and book stores, Old Town Antiques and Books is the only antique store left on this street. The others have slowly disappeared over the years, mainly due to high rent costs.

Don Bjoralt, a local dealer, managed to drop by the store today. He has been selling his used books here for the past nine years.

“I like the people aspect of it,� he says. “Getting to know people from the area and seeing what their lives are about.

Part-time employee Linda Rock sits beside him behind the register.

“It’s a trip down memory lane for some people,� she says while flipping through a magazine. With Duluth’s chilly temperatures dropping down to the low 40’s and the tourist season coming to an end, today is a quiet one for the workers.

“People come in, looking for things from their childhood,� Rock says. She and Bjoralt both recall it as a “simpler times.�

Though, there are typically no more than ten people browsing through the store, the checkout line remains slow and held up. At Old Town Antiques and Books, no one is in a hurry.

“Some people come in just to talk,� Bjoralt says. As he perks up in his chair and smiles, it’s obvious that he enjoys the occasional chit-chat with a stranger.

The couple ahead stand at the checkout counter explaining how their new cowboy boot portrait will look great in their western styled house where they raise horses.

Meanwhile, another woman has already managed to make her way to the door with a reasonably priced bow that will look great in her husband’s new collection.

Whether your treasure be a bow without an arrow, a book that you’ve been long searching for or just someone to share a conversation with, Old Town Antiques and Books may be the place to find it.

I think a lot of people hope to find a treasure,� says Bjoralt as he puts on his jacket, ready to head back out into the busy street. “Everybody likes a treasure.�