The owners of All Things Old in Johnstown see their business as a harbinger of new life for Main Street.

“People shouldn’t have to drive all the way to Newark or Columbus when they want to buy something. They should be able to stay in their own community and shop locally,” Monica West, co-owner of the store.

She and Theresa McClary opened All Things Old at 28 S. Main St. in April this year because they thought there were too many empty spaces in Johnstown.

“It seems that ‘Main Street America’ is slowly dwindling in our little community and we genuinely want it to thrive,” West said. “We truly want to be a part of bringing our community together and building toward a future that is bright and full of the coolest shops around.”

All Things Old features merchandise from 20 hand-picked vendors that are all from central Ohio.

“We buy things we like and what we think will sell,” West said. “We do our best to keep prices affordable.”

Some items in the store are handmade while others are consignment pieces that local residents have brought in or that have been refurbished.

“It’s fun that we never know what will be coming in or going out on any given day,” McClary said. “Sometimes we set an item down and within a few minutes, it’s sold.”

West said people have told them how excited they are about the business.

“The community has been very supportive of us. I believe every community should have a clean, family-friendly place to hang out and shop in the downtown area,” she said. “People are coming from other areas, and so that’s been exciting to see.”

The stock housed in the 3,100-square-foot store includes vintage furniture, baskets, candles, fine china, art and silverware.

“It’s a great place to pick up a big or little item, whether it’s for decorating a home or a special antique,” McClary said. “We now have regular weekly customers that always stop in to see our latest stuff.”

The store also offers sewing, quilting, calligraphy and art classes and hope to offer a genealogy class this fall.

West and McClary also plan to offer more community events for families in Bigelow Square downtown and to team up with American Legion Post 254.

In the future, West said, they hope to continue to expand, possibly opening a bakery or moving into the space next door.

“I am working diligently on helping a bakery launch from within our little store,” she said. “It may take another couple of months, but hopefully, very soon it will be in place.

“It’s meant the world to us that we are able to do this for the community,” she said.