Antiques on 18th closing Sunday as Sioux Falls plans for urban redevelopment

After celebrating 26 years of preserving the past and serving the Sioux Falls community, Antiques on 18th will be closing its doors on Mother’s Day.

The iconic antique store, located on the corner of 18th Street and Minnesota Avenue, has been a cherished destination for collectors, historians and enthusiasts alike.

The closure of Antiques on 18th coincides with plans for a significant urban renewal project for that southeast corner of 18th and Minnesota.

Once the current buildings are demolished, the site will undergo redevelopment, ushering in a new chapter for the area. While details of the project remain forthcoming, it is expected to bring modern amenities and new opportunities to Sioux Falls residents.

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Proposals have been submitted to the Sioux Falls Planning Commission for the rezoning of the land.

The proposed project includes the construction of a five-story mixed-use building along Minnesota Avenue, a parking ramp in the middle and a three-story apartment building along Dakota Avenue.

Founder and CEO of the non-profit tre Ministries Sandy Berven confirmed that the land is under contract. For now, she said, the project is still in early development, so details will be announced at a later date when everything is confirmed.

“What we're looking at is a mixed use. There will be development on the Minnesota side and apartments for tre Ministries’ Christian leadership program on the Dakota side,” Berven said.

Berven said she is confident that this will happen soon and that she will hopefully have more information in the coming weeks.

Sioux Falls City Councilor Greg Neitzert highlighted the significance of utilizing existing land efficiently in light of urban sprawl concerns. The proposed mixed-use development aligns with this vision, offering commercial space on the first floor and residential units above, thereby maximizing the use of space and reducing the burden of parking requirements for developers, he said.

The City of Sioux Falls issued the following statement about the project from Jason Bieber, the Senior Planner for Planning and Development Services:

“On May 1, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to rezone property in the southeast corner of 18th Street and Minnesota Avenue to a midtown mixed use moderate density district. The next step in the process is for Sioux Falls City Council to consider a first reading of the rezoning of this property on May 21. If Sioux Falls City Council approves the rezoning of this property in a first reading and subsequent second reading on June 4, the property will be zoned MMU2, Midtown Mixed-Use – Moderate Density District and the applicant can proceed with the next steps in the development process.”

The owners of Antiques on 18th said they believe they are the only tenants left on the block. As news of the closure has spread throughout the community, customers have expressed sadness at the loss of this historic shop.

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Owner Char Moore said she was just out of college when she began to have an interest in antiquing and thrifting while furnishing her apartment.

“I got into a habit of going to auction sales almost every time there was one when I could find the rare treasure. That's where it started,” Moore said. “In fact, the day I was invited to be a partner with the original partners of this store, we were at an auction.”

Moore said the brick-and-mortar shop opened in 1998 and has not changed since.

“We started out really well,” Moore said.

Through the years, Antiques on 18th not only served as a marketplace for such items but also as a hub for storytelling and shared memories, including about the building itself.

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Moore said before it was Antiques on 18th, the building hosted a number of various businesses. For a while, it was Johnson Dry Cleaners.

“I had one fella here the other day who said, ‘Oh, my dad used to work in an insurance office back here,'" she said. "So he was telling me all about it."

The store's eclectic collection of vintage furniture, artifacts and unique curiosities drew visitors from far and wide, including England, Scotland and even Japan.

“We advertised in the Sioux Falls Visitor Guide as well as the annual Quad-State and Sioux Falls Antiques, Art & Book Shops Directory pamphlet,” Moore said. "The brochure has a little map in there and they've numbered the shops. And the numbers correlate on the map.”

Even though Moore, co-owner Andy Ziegler and their team have known urban renewal plans were approaching for a few years now, it didn’t make the decision to close any less emotional and bittersweet when they were given the 30-day notice.

“It's time to retire," Moore said of her and Ziegler. "It’s been a hobby for both of us."

From century-old furniture pieces to trinkets with intriguing backstories, each item within the walls of Antiques on 18th has carried a piece of history, sparking conversations and connecting generations, she said.

“I want to say a big thank you to all those people who have come and seen us for 26 years,” Moore said.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the owner of Antiques on 18th. The story has been updated to reflect this change.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Antiques on 18th closing Mother’s Day amid urban redevelopment plans