4-Generation Store, Estate Antiques, Closes In Downtown Dallas

DALLAS, GA — When the building at 212 Main Street in Downtown Dallas first opened its doors for business, the year was 1896. That was the year Utah was admitted as America's 45th state and more than a decade before the HMS Titanic hit an iceberg in 1912.

For the past 27 years, the store has been known as Estate Antiques but when it first opened it was a mercantile store where clothing and hats were sold. Four generations of the Welch family have owned and operated the store and now all of that has ended.

Earlier this month, the Welch’s auctioned off all their merchandise and will be renting the building next to the iconic Dallas Theater.

"The feeling is bittersweet," David Welch, one of the owners, told Patch. "I'm still processing it. We sat in here for years and things weren't selling. I'm glad now someone can come in here and revitalize the store and make a living. For the past few years, we've been making a living with our rental properties."

Welch said the family owns several buildings in the Dallas downtown area and the family has been renting those for years. In fact, they're fixing up the building next to Estate Antiques and they're going to run a rental business out of the location.

"We knocked a whole in the wall and we're fixing up that part of the building right now," Welch said. "Our address is changing from 212 Main Street to 210 Main Street."

The Welchs are hoping a restaurant will move into the old space or at least something that will draw people to downtown Dallas and revitalize the whole area.

"We want to keep people coming downtown," he said. "We hope the next business does well and can be there as long as we were."

Even though Welch said it was sad to see everything go in the auction, there was one thing that made him feel better. A wood counter that was custom built into the store when it was first opened, was sold to a business right down the street.

"It was quite a sight watching them carry that thing down the street," he said. "I grew up in the store and never really took a good look at that counter. You take those kind of things for granted. I think it's neat that it's going to stay in downtown Dallas. It fit perfect in their new shop, like it was meant to be there. The guy told me, 'at least that part of history will stay here.' That made me feel a whole lot better. That was a great gesture. He didn't have to say that to me."

Those interested in renting the building or other rental properties in Dallas, can contact Welch at 770-443-0751.

Photo courtesy Dallas Merchants Association