Author Archive for Shannon Howard
Ferguson homemaker shares her Hidden Treasures
Aided by her sons Brandon (left) and Eddie, Jeneice Andrews is the new proprietor of Hidden Treasures, an antiques & jewelry store in Ferguson.
For many years, Jeniece Andrews was a stay-at-home mom with a passion for jewelry and a great eye for antiques. But as of last Friday, she officially went pro. Her brand new Ferguson shop, Hidden Treasures, opened on January 28 and is quickly gaining buzz as a great place to find all kinds of unique items.
Jeniece and her husband, Eddie, have lived in Ferguson for 15 years, raising three sons here. And while selling on eBay and running estate sales has kept her plenty busy, this lifelong collector who studied art in college has always dreamed of having a retail storefront.
She initially wanted to lease property in Rock Hill, but when a newly remodeled space next to Little Caesars Pizza became available on Florissant Road, she jumped at the chance to work so close to home. “I guess it was just my season,” she says. “Everything just came together.”
At Hidden Treasures, Jeniece now curates a collection that includes hundreds of items, selling an eclectic array of antiques, collectibles, furniture, artwork and jewelry. But it’s the jewelry that really gets her excited, and serves as her primary business. Offering both modern and vintage pieces, she has a special affinity for ornate Victorian jewelry, precious metals and high-end costume jewelry with lots of sparkle.
“I love looking into the store windows at night, when everything is sparkling,” she says with a smile, noting that she can custom order wedding rings and other new jewelry from popular designers like Heidi Daus. “Our selection is so much more than you see here.”
Not that what you see here isn’t cool already. During my visit, Jeniece showed me everything from antique ivory and vintage train sets to rare silverware and a rockin’ selection of handbags. In my opinion, she has very good taste.
Down the road, she hopes to get certified as an antiques appraiser. But in the mean time, she’ll be keeping her doors open five days a week, bringing in new items all the time. She’ll also continue to run estate sales, do verbal appraisals and buy gold.
Her sons, Eddie, Brandon and Joshua, will be on hand to help out as needed – a fact that makes Jeniece very proud. “They know this is my dream, so I really appreciate that they’re here to support me,” she says. “This is a definitely a family adventure.”
Hidden Treasures, located at 220B N. Florissant Road, 63135, is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am – 7pm. For more info, call (314) 757-2858. And be sure to take a peek at some of the current inventory…
The 427 Gallery debuts in Ferguson this Friday
Today it's just a real estate office, but on Friday evening, Ferguson's Pearce Neikirk & Partners will be transformed into a new art gallery.
There are dozens of reasons why I love my new job as a real estate agent, but probably the main one is getting to work with my broker, Pearce Neikirk. After 28 years in the business, he recently opened his own office in the heart of downtown Ferguson’s Citywalk district. And from day one, he started dreaming of creative uses for the space, with a focus on how it could best benefit the community.
With the closing of the NAC gallery up the street, and two big ol’ walls just sitting there empty, some kind of art venture seemed like the best idea. So when I started digging up all kinds of interesting treasures from my own collection, the answer was pretty obvious… Let’s open an art gallery!
Fast forward a month or so and our new endeavor is finally ready for its big debut. Starting this Friday, the simply-named “427 Gallery” (@ 427 S. Florissant Road) will begin hosting regular exhibits, with a new show every 4-6 weeks.
Our first show is called “Five Room House” and it features beautifully rendered architectural drawings from 1940, created by the late Delmar Loveall of Florissant. Mr. Loveall was an Air Force pilot and barbershop chorus singer who taught shop class in the Special School District for many years. I discovered his amazingly detailed drawings at an estate sale sometime around 2004, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to share them.
You can see Mr. Loveall’s work during various weekend hours throughout February, or just make it easy and come to the opening gala this Friday. Why not grab a drink at Cork or Ferguson Brewing and then walk on over…
“Five Room House” opens February 3 with a reception from 7-9pm. All are welcome! The 427 Gallery is located at 427 S. Florissant Road in the Streetcar Lofts.
EarthDance graduates growing 8 new projects
Jody Vogler, an apprentice in EarthDance Farms' 2011 training program, is one of eight "sophomore farmies" launching independent projects this year.
If you’re a gardener, chances are you’re spending these winter months planning and dreaming. The colorful new seed catalogs have started to arrive, and those barren patches in your yard are just waiting for the new possibilities of spring.
Here in Ferguson, even Missouri’s oldest organic farm is still sleeping, but that doesn’t mean the good folks of EarthDance Farms haven’t been busy. In fact, these nonprofit stewards have educated dozens of St. Louisans in the ways of organic farming and small farm management, and now eight of their 2011 apprentices are returning the favor.
During 2012, these “sophomore farmies” will continue to work in the fields at Mueller Farm and sell their produce at local farmers markets, but they will also pursue independent projects of their own. I don’t know about you, but it makes me very happy knowing that so many neat people are converging and creating just a few blocks away. Here’s what they’ll be up to in the coming months…
- Judy Vogler plans to cultivate a traditional Native American “Three Sisters” garden, featuring heirloom corn, squash, and beans.
- Early riser Ann Owens will continue to make early morning trips to the greenhouse. As Greenhouse Coordinator, she will create a guide to greenhouse pest management to be utilized by future classes of first-year farmies.
- Laura Vetter will explore natural crafting with plants and other found items on the farm.
- Katrina Gillespie will develop displays to inform visitors about Mueller Farm’s rich history.
- Faith Labeaume will study herbs as medicine.
- Anna Gall will help train new marketeers at the Ferguson Farmers Market.
- Engineering student Maria Stoica will investigate permaculture design at the farm.
- And Tim McHale will help keep EarthDance blooming as he supervises flower production this year.
Pretty cool, huh? For more info on EarthDance and how you too can get involved in the fun, visit the EarthDance Farms website or call the office at (314) 521-1006.
Natural healing expert to speak in Ferguson
A few years ago, when an old back injury started causing me serious pain, the only person who could help was a chiropractor. I was reluctant to see him at first, knowing that many folks consider chiropractic care to be a scam, but boy, am I glad I went. Not only did my pain disappear, but my posture improved and I even grew a bit taller!
Since then, I’ve been fascinated by the full spectrum of natural medicine techniques, which rely on the body’s own ability to heal. I know there are still many naysayers, and that’s fine, but for me, natural is the way to go.
That’s why I was excited to learn that a world-renowned master healer is making a rare appearance in St. Louis, and he’ll be hosting a free lecture right here in Ferguson. Chiropractic physician Dick Versendaal, whose revolutionary Contact Reflex Analysis method can determine imbalances in the body’s subtle energies, will lead a dinner talk to discuss how the body works, what leads to illness and how you can find healing.
Rather than focusing on how to treat disease, as traditional Western medicine does, Dr. Versendaal, who originally hails from the Netherlands, has made it his life’s work to teach about prevention and wellness. So if that approach resonates with you, I hope you’ll come to St. Stephen’s Church on February 16 to hear him speak.
Admission is free, but donations of non-perishable goods to the St. Stephen’s food pantry will be greatly appreciated. To RSVP (by 2/12) or schedule a private appointment with Dr. V before the lecture, contact Ferguson Wellness and Chiropractic at (314) 524-2580 or jessica@getwellferguson.com.
Dr. Versendaal’s dinner talk will take place Thursday, February 16, 7-10pm, at St. Stephen’s Church, 33 N. Clay, 63135.
