Jo Junque Antiques n' Stuff opens with celebration

LAFAYETTE — After years renting space in the antique area of Andover, Joanna West, of Green Township, decided to open her own store in Lafayette.

Jo Junque Antiques n' Stuff is the name of her store, and she had her grand opening on Saturday, July 12 welcoming new customers with refreshments and a store full of everything.

"The part of my store name that says 'antiques n' stuff' really says it all," she said, "I have everything from a 700 year old jar to a scuba suit."

The store is filled with all kinds of antiques and hard-to-find knickknacks from china to dolls to jewelry to mirrors, hats, decorations and much more.

West started with a booth in Old Slackeyville Antiques in Andover in 2005. The business has now changed to Green Barn Antiques, and West said she enjoyed her time there.

"I just wanted something bigger and all my own," she said. When the space on Route 15, in the heart of Lafayette's antique district, became available, she jumped at the opportunity and is pleased with the street-level entry store.

The location formerly housed ValAries Gallery.

"They did a lot of nice renovations to the store," West said, so when that store went out of business, it was pretty much move-in-ready for West.

"So far we're doing great and meeting a lot of great customers," she said.

West credits neighboring businesses with being "extremely friendly and welcoming."