Treasure Island, which sells a variety of antiques, collectibles and jewelry, is set to open in its new location Friday evening with a ribbon cutting.
Owner Marci Christopher has moved the business from the Old Fuller Store at Center to the former Fulton Family Medicine building near IGA. There she is taking out some walls to open up the interior, but is making use of much of the existing space, she said, with items grouped in rooms by category, from kitchen to furniture to lighting.
“We are really excited to be there,” she said. “I like the location a lot, and I like the building a lot.”
Christopher first opened the business in 2005, and this new location is the third — and largest — of the spaces she has occupied. It will likely remind customers of her first location, she said, with its many rooms.
In addition to the vendors sharing her space, she sells items on consignment for between 30 and 50 people each month, providing a constant change in inventory.
“I have new stuff coming in every day,” she said. “I always have, and I always will.”
The store sells an eclectic assortment of items, but Christopher indicated they are selected with islanders in mind.
“Since we have been doing this for so long, we really understand what people want, whether it is kitchen items, tools or jewelry,” she said.
As for the jewelry, Christopher stocks and sells a lot of it.
“I am kind of a jewelry hoarder,” she said.
Among the rooms at the new store will be one designated for bargains — created in part because of the nearby Granny’s Attic shoppers Christopher hopes will come in.
“We have great stuff at great prices,” she said, “but I want to make sure Granny’s people come and do not feel it is all really expensive.”
Christopher got her start in the business years ago as a vendor at Old Dreams, located where Bramble House is now. When that building sold, Christopher opened her own store at the southern edge of town, and several of the vendors joined her there, including Ellie Lowry, Old Dreams’ original owner.
The first weekend the new store is open, Christopher will hold a silent auction for a treasure the staff at Fulton Family Medicine left behind: a porcelain carousel popular with children who used to see Dr. Weispfenning. Proceeds will benefit Vashon Youth &Family Services.
Christopher said she left her space at the Old Fuller Store because the owners, Michael McConnell and Liz Weber McConnell, appeared to want it. King County Assessor’s Office records show Michael McConnell also purchased the building next to Sporty’s in August, which most recently housed Alice Larson’s Island Paper Chase.
The ribbon cutting will take place at Treasure Island’s new location at 6 p.m. Friday.
— Susan Riemer