As Christmas is less than a week away, I thought I'd let you know our hours of operation. Next week we will be open Tuesday 1pm - 6pm as usual and drum roll please...we will open 7am on Wednesday morning (Dec. 23rd) serving a hot breakfast (free), offering free creative gift wrap services and ALL CHRISTMAS IS 50% OFF!!

Sometimes I think I'm crazy to do this to myself a couple of days before Christmas, but then I remember how I love a crowd and the excitement of friends popping into the shop to say "Merry Christmas" and the wonderful smells of Christmas and the music and...well, I hope this day becomes an annual tradition of sorts. We hope to help those who haven't even started shopping yet (please pass this on to all of the men you know) as well as those of you that need to just add a few more finishing touches. And just so you know, there will be new Christmas out on this day (even though it will be getting marked down) and new items added. We will be acting as personal shoppers for some who just have no idea where to start and putting fun little "gift baskets" together only as JB Knacker can.

If you work, you'll want to stop in right at 7am, get a bite to eat, shop and get anything wrapped that is being given as a gift. You are welcome to come back after work to pick up your already wrapped gifts if time is an issue. We will stay open through 6pm so really anytime throughout the day is a great time to visit. This will be a fun & festive day!!

JB Knacker will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to be w/ family and celebrate the Lord Jesus.

The old shop doors will be open Saturday, December 26th from 10am - 3pm as usual w/ 50% off Christmas items and many other specials throughout the shop ~ a good day to be at JB Knacker, I promise!!

The following week, we will be open regular hours Tuesday, Wednesday and on Thursday (New Year's Eve), we will close a little early at 4pm. Christmas items will continue to be 50-75% off. We will be closed on Friday, New Year's Day.


January ~ JB Knacker will be open on Saturdays only 10am - 5pm. So the first Saturday is January 2nd...then January 9th, the 16th, the 23rd and finally, the 30th. This allows us to freshen up the walls and floors w/ new paint and polish and spit-shine anything that is a little drab. There will be fresh looks for the new year...softer, prettier and flouncier, and each Saturday will have a special theme and fun surprises!

We will resume regular hours in February.

Hope this helps you plan your visits to the old shop and as always thank you for reading this blog and supporting JB Knacker ~ Merry Christmas!!

Christmas is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat...

Well, it's the second week of December and the snow is flying outside and the wind is whipping it into blizzard conditions. I hope everyone is cozy at home in these parts and able to just stay put. The shop will be closed today (Wednesday the 9th). If I lived within walking distance of the shop, I would love to putter around and create new vignettes and finish projects. But instead, the lights and decorations will go up on our tree at home and the kids will sled down hills (or dive into snow drifts) and hot chocolate will be sipped and gingerbread baked in the oven. It will be a good snow day.


Guess what I forgot to announce? The winner of our Black Friday drawing. Lynn Clark...you have a big fat $50.00 gift certificate waiting for you at the shop!! Congratulations and thanks for all of you that came out and shopped JB Knacker on that day ~ it was a good one!


We rolled into the first week of December and watched a lot of tarnished silver fly out the door in the form of big old ornate platters and fancy schmancy candy dishes and perfume trays. Did I mention the monster metal urn in the front window has been gone for a little while now...on its way to Cedar Falls, but it has been replaced w/ a smaller version (but still a nice size) black metal urn that rests on our 7 foot harvest table.

We hauled in one of 2 very large oak cupboards from an old school in Davenport, Iowa after the pretty buffet sold.

Lots of old wire and metal grace our shop in the form of old garden gates, tool boxes, wire "memo boards" and old advertising signs. Beautiful glass domes and cut glass dessert dishes, depression glass sugar & creamers and etched glass goblets rest on our old storefront shelves.


Costume jewelry chains, brooches and earrings mix well w/ our vintage inspired soldered & typewriter charms and a new line of chunky organic earrings have been selling fast.

Many who have never ventured into JB Knacker may have preconceived notions that we are just antiques lined up against the walls or consignment or heaven knows what, and certainly not a shop that would be worthy of buying gifts for those on their list. They are so wrong! Just pulling up to the front of our shop and stepping in to the smell of our wonderful hand poured soaps and french vanilla coffee brewing should do the trick. The gifts that grace our shelves are one-of-a-kind because they are carefully selected vintage pieces (by me!) or designed uniquely for our shop by a creative local artist. Grain sack number pillows, window sash letters, jewelry (from earrings to charmed necklaces), chunky hand poured soaps, funny & endearing cards, beautiful old books and ornate frames are just a smidgen of what we have to offer.


It was fun to listen to a couple of new customers in the shop last Saturday..."Look what I found! I've been looking all over for one of these and they have like four of them and they are only eight dollars each!! Oh my gosh, did you see these...you have got to get one for mom, she will love it!" That kind of stuff makes my day!

Have a wonderful week and hope to see you at the shop!