The Coop Antiques shop brings Oviedo residents a bit of nostalgia
Every piece has a history, a story to tell, from the large 1886 cast iron bell to the 1940s wood-framed snowshoes hanging on the wall.
Melissa and Rob Pohlad, owners of Oviedo’s newest antique, gift and collectible shop, say they are delighted to offer people a piece of days gone by.
The couple from Winter Springs said they were inspired to open their local business in September after years of purchasing special items at flea markets, estate sales and shops as far away as Virginia and North Carolina, for themselves and for resale.
“It’s something we have both always enjoyed doing, collecting, and it kept getting bigger and bigger and we needed an outlet,” Rob said.
Melissa said she and her husband initially began their antique business by buying and selling on eBay and Craigslist. When they spotted an empty building space for rent on North Central Avenue, they decided to open their own store.
“We went to Big John’s (County Cookin’) next door to eat and saw how much traffic there was, especially with the post office, and we thought it would be a good spot,” Melissa said.
With only a couple of months to prepare, Melissa and Rob worked quickly to obtain a substantial number of antique pieces and collectibles to fill their new 1,000-square-foot retail space.
