Tarentum second-hand store owner worries reopening may be short-lived

Even as Lorie Angely prepares to reopen her Tarentum store, she fears she may have to shut it down again, possibly for good.

Angely has run Secondhand Treasures on the borough’s West Seventh Avenue for about 20 years. It’s been closed since the pandemic-related shutdown in March.

She’s reopening Saturday, just as covid-19 cases are surging across the country and Allegheny County health officials are advising residents to stay home except for essentials.

“My husband’s exact words to me were, ‘I don’t even know why you are going to bother, they’re going to be closing everybody down again,’” she said. “I’ll be honest, if they shut me down again, I don’t know if I can come back.”

Angely started Secondhand Treasures after leaving the Valley News Dispatch in 1997, where she was a circulation sales manager. She runs the shop with the help of her daughter, Sadie Angely, 17.

Angely said she did her best to stay open as long as she could, but had to close because of the state order.

“I had customers looking in at me, and I couldn’t let them in,” she said.

While other businesses reopened sooner, Angely said she didn’t because she couldn’t get inventory, most notably the real-wood furniture — dressers, desks, tables, chairs, vanities — in which she specializes. In addition to furniture, she also sells antiques, collectibles and “primitive” pieces that show the look of time and look old or distressed. With the store closed, she had no money coming in.

“Nobody wants to sell anything. Nobody wants to get rid of anything. I had no furniture in here at all,” she said. “I have to get people willing to sell or give me the furniture. Then I have to have money to pay to have the furniture brought to me. There’s guys that need paid to bring me the furniture. If you don’t have money to hand people, they’re not going to bring you a truckload of furniture.”

Angely said friends helped her get furniture to the store so she could reopen this weekend.

Angely doesn’t have another job besides running her store. She and her husband, Tim, have relied on his income as a truck driver.

“If I didn’t have his income coming in, I don’t know what I would have done,” she said. “So many friends and family members have helped me out, picking up furniture and bringing it to the store. A friend helped me paint some pieces to get ready to reopen.

“I appreciate everything everybody’s done for me,” she said. “I want people to know that it’s appreciated how much they helped me so my doors can reopen on Saturday.”

Beginning Saturday, Secondhand Treasures at 200 W. Seventh Ave. will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

“I can’t wait to get back open,” she said.