Family-Run Antique Business Imports the Niche

Lost Treasures Antiques, located on 1460 Fall River Avenue/Route 6, is deceivingly small from the outside. Step into the door and the place seems to expand for a mile, with rows of antiques, treasures and collectibles lining the shelves and walls.

"Everyone comments on how much larger this place is once they're inside," says Sue Winokur, wife of owner, Jake Winokur. "We hear that so often."

Jake is busy organizing the shelves with newly acquired goods, and his son, Johnathan, is taking inventory in the front of the store. This is clearly a family run business.

"We keep him around for his height, " jokes Sue, pointing to Johnathan. "We need him to reach the top shelves."

Jake comments, "We've been here for going on nineteen years, when my daughter had just started to crawl. She's at the University of Maine now."

In those nineteen years, Winakur has seen a tremendous variety of customers come into his store. He caters to no specific demographic.

"We see everyone from kids, high school kids, to young adults to older people and everyone in between, " he explains.

"I have one lady who comes in once every two or three weeks and if she makes it to July she will be one hundred and seven," he elaborates. "And then there are the kids. They come in looking for older toys, costume jewelry, beading. They take apart the jewelry and make their own creation."

People generally come in for "jewelry, dinnerware or furniture," says Winakur.

"Our biggest seller is mahogany furniture. That's where the young people come in. They are beginning to understand the need for quality furniture, and it's not what you'd find at Cardi's or Raymour and Flanagan."

"People come in looking for everything from Revolutionary War paraphenelia to 1960's Fisher Price Little People. People tend to purchase what they remember from their youth," explains Winakur.

'We sell a little bit of everything. We have eighty-five different dealers in here and about 200 consigners, " Winakur elaborates, which explains why the large store is full of so many items. "Then there are people who just come through the door with items."

Individuals who wish to bring items to the store are welcome to do so, provided they make an appointment first. It is remarkable the hidden treasures people may have in their homes.

There is a difference between old collectibles and antique items, however.

"A true antique is at least one-hundred years old, so it's important to clarify the difference between a true antique and good solid used items. For example,we won't sell furniture built after 1950. But, that's just good, well-made older furniture, not antique. People come in wanting to sell their "antique" 1980's furniture, but that's not antique, obviously," says Winakur.

"I've had things from as early as the mid sixteen hundreds," Winakur claims." Also a first printing of the Massachusetts Constitution in book form, " he continues, "I get 30 calls a week to go to houses and that Constitution was found in a house at the bottom of a trunk of books. You're always looking for that prize."

One particular prize was specifically memorable.

"Once we sold a painting for $149,500. And that was bought at an auction for $11.00," he exclaims.

Individuals looking to buy or sell collectibles or antiques will find their needs met at , and Winakur and his family are knowledgeable and willing to chat about their experiences as antique dealers.