Minturn’s Antique Accents may be forced to close after 31 years on the town’s Main Street

Antique Accents owner Rebecca Callender for years has called Minturn home. Those years may come to an end April 30.

Callender said the store’s current space, 105 Main Street, was recently sold and she was given 30 days to vacate the premises. To help clear inventory, items in the store are now between 50% and 70% off their normal prices.

Callender moved to the Vail Valley in 1981 to be a ski instructor and waitress, a few years later she was married and a mother. Antique Accents opened in 1991 so she wouldn’t have to put her child into daycare.

Countless items have passed through the store over the years, including the effects of a soldier from a Texan Civil War veteran. That collection included the soldier’s saddle, horse collar, chaps and spurs. The saddle’s stirrups were made of bone.

Like many items in the world of antiques, Callender didn’t really appreciate the collection until she started oiling the gun leather. Those items really “told the story” of the collection, she said.

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The store also recently contained items from a 10^th Mountain Division soldier including skis, poles and a backpack.

“I’m surrounded by history here,” Callender said.

Over the years, the store has only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

“I love what I do — it doesn’t feel like work,” she said.

Antique Accents has only been in its current location for about five years, in what seems like most of the spaces in Minturn’s 100 block.

Those years have brought friendships with both clients and neighbors.

Jane Rohr and Larry Stone, owners of The Scarab, have been among those neighbors over the past 31 years.

Losing Antique Accents would “be a devastating loss,” Rohr said. “It would be a shame not to have her here.”

Rohr said neighbors and friends are trying to help find new space for the shop.

“She’s awesome,” Rohr said. “She adds so much color, and she’s an expert at what she does. She’s really added to all of our homes.”

Those additions include a set of coffee jars dating from the 1920s. As Callendar has been emptying the shop’s drawers and cubbies little things she’d forgotten about will pop up.

There’s still some hope a new space can be found in town. And Callender will miss being at the shop every day.

“I’ll miss my (shop) family — the Minturn people, the acquaintances and friends.” she said. “It’s (a good place) to walk around for an hour.”