Sitting in the heart of the "Lakeview Village of Jamesburg" sits a late 1800's building owned and occupied by only its fourth owner in some 125 years. Original frame of handcut oak timber and wide board flooring this shop started out in the 1800's as a tobacco shop and rolled its own cigars. Later years things changed after World War One and things changed again. Seems the need for watches, jewelry, and basic repairs were needed then. History records Dan and Anna Clark saw this and opened for business and remained there for many years. As they aged some counter help was needed and a young local gal named Barbara Wheatley applied and was hired. She became almost part of the family and when Dan passed away Anna sold the business to Barbara and her husband Amos. Again time moved slowly as the Wheatleys managed their jewelry, watches, and a smattering of small antiques in the little shop. Quarters were even added on upstairs so Barbara's mother and sister Minnie were able to stay in town. Along one 1960's day comes a young local girl by the name of Barbara Reid who has been saving up her babysitting money, high finances at fifty cents per hour, but she saved it all. Seems this young lady fell in love with a gold amethyst ring in the window that she had viewed many times when she came into town with her dad John W. Reid who was a 50 year lifelong employee of the Pontiac agency that was in town then. Upon entering the store for the first time her love for jewelry began. Her first purchase of the ring for a whopping $30.00 sealed this. Again things moved forward slowly until one day Mrs. Wheatley tells the now married Barbara Reid-Reinhardt she wished to sell the shop with two conditions in mind, that her sister Minnie could stay on upstairs and that jewelry and antiques would be the desirable retail items sold. Remember the fate of jewelry had been already set in motion. Shortly on the shop moved to its fourth owner and Mrs. Wheatley cut the ribbon on opening day December 11, 1991 to display the now Barbara's Unique Antique Boutique. Now the old cigar shop at 35 East Railroad Avenue had a bright pink color on its original oak door. Chock full of all types of jewelry, glass, china, and vintage collectibles, and with prices to allow all folks to come down and shop. So visit us, come take a peek behind the pink door, come see what items are available in the old shop in an old town where somethings do not move as quickly as the world around us. For a look from home in the world of cyber visit www.barbarasantiques.com and take that peek and then come down to see us.
BARBARA'S UNIQUE ANTIQUE BOUTIQUE 35 East Railroad Ave Jamesburg, NJ 08831 732-521-9055 Hours of Operation: Wed - Thur - Fri 10:00am - 5:30pm Sat 10:00am - 4:00pm