One of a kind, high-end collectibles fill the shelves and walls at Strong’s Landing.
The fine art and antiques store is located in a downtown building that has a long history itself.
“I have been told this is the second oldest building in Waupaca,” said Kay Pozorski. “It started out being a tavern.”
The building’s past includes being a furniture store and funeral home, the site of Nelson’s Signs, a physician’s office and even a brothel at one time – that was in the basement, she said.
“We bought it intending to open an antique store here,” Pozorski said.
Several years ago she and Roger Daul decided to turn the space at 108 Water St. into an antiques store.
They happened to be in Waupaca one day when they saw a “for rent” sign in the window of the former shoe repair shop. They called the owner and asked if he was instead interested in selling the building.
He was, and soon, work began on turning the space into its newest use.
For Daul, this is not his first antique store.
In addition to Strong’s Landing, he also has a store in Princeton. In addition, he once had one in Berlin.
“While he traveled for work, he started buying,” Pozorski said. “It was like a really big hobby on the side.”
Since retiring from Daul Industries – the company he started and is now co-owned by sons Rick and Scott – he has more time for antiquing.
“We still go to auctions. What he collects now are mostly military items,” Pozorski said. “He loves the stories.”
Pozorski, who met Daul 15 years ago when she visited his store in Berlin, also loves antiques.
She grew up in New Berlin, the daughter of an architect, and bought her first antique when she was 14 years old.
“Others my age were buying pizza,” she said.
Pozorski found it to be much more fun to buy antiques and went on to study art and to later work in restoration and landscaping.
Today, she continues to work in the arts while also running the antique store.
Strong’s Landing is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
“I had been sticking a sign out on the sidewalk,” she said of the store’s previous business hours. “It did well.”
The store has furniture, oil paintings, rugs, art, glassware, silver and vintage clothing.
“Many things are signed, in perfect condition. You won’t find another,” she said. “They all have pretty much a story, a background. We know where we got it from, where it came from. If it’s new, we’ll tell you.”
Pozorski said a grand opening is being planned and that she enjoys talking to those who visit the store.
“You’ll never buy something and be disappointed,” she said.