JB Knacker at The Lucky Star Market!

 

JB Knacker will be at the Lucky Star Holiday Market this Saturday, Dec. 7th at Prairie Moon Winery just a few minutes south of Gilbert.  Our shop in Gilbert will also be open regular hours on Saturday (10-5pm) and we encourage you to shop both!  

JB Knacker Christmas Bash

Join us for a Christmas Bash this Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 7th-10th.  Thursday evening will be our twinkly lights and a little wine evening from 6-9pm.  It might even feel a bit like Christmas outside minus the snow!  Inside, the shop will be twinkly, warm and festive.  We would love to have you stop by on Thursday evening and/or join us on Friday for more merriment from 10-5pm and again on Saturday from 10-5pm.  We will wrap up our Christmas Bash weekend on Sunday from 11-4pm.  

I remember 8 yrs ago...the shop had just opened, and we had decided we would not put Christmas out until December.  We were tired of Christmas being put out in stores too early!  Well, we learned a lesson about retail that year and a lesson about time management as well.  No, Christmas should not be put out in September...but, November is OK.  And it makes it much easier on the shop owner if said shop owner paces herself and leaves time for being festive at home w/ friends and family.

 I am excited for tomorrow at the shop...Christmas music blaring, sipping hot tea & whipping the shop into the Christmas I've had dancing around in my head far too long!  I've gathered and gathered and now it's time to display!  I have the troops coming in Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday morning to lend a helping hand...but tomorrow, I need the shop all to myself.  Can't wait to dig in!  And hope you can join us any or all of this coming weekend for JB Knacker's Christmas Bash!!
                                              Brenda

Fall For Junk Event Oct. 11th & 12th

Fall For Junk: Central Iowa's Junk Jaunt

Just one month away...save the dates for a beautiful autumn junkin' road trip!  This is a central Iowa event where you travel from one shop, barn or chicken shed to the next...junkin' all the way!  Each shop and occasional sale (15 plus venues) has prepared for this event for a long time to make it special for you, the customer!  JB Knacker will once again be host to a 15 vendor flea market in our side yard.  Some of your favorite vendors plus many new, talented faces will be there.  The junkin' map is in its final stages and will be posted here as well as on our Central Iowa Junk Jaunt Facebook page.

A Really Good Sale!

This weekend we are having a really good sale at JB Knacker.  We love fall...its coolness, its crispness and all that it offers in decorating opportunities!!  So to make it a bit easier on this old shopkeeper to flip the shop into a fall masterpiece, we're having a sale...a really good sale...the BEST sale we've ever had in our 12 year history of shopkeeping kind of sale!!

Friday, August 16th from 12-5pm...everything is 25%off
Saturday, August 17th from 10-5pm...everything is 30% off
Sunday, August 18th from 11-4pm...everything is 40% off

Vintage wire, antique ironstone, primitive furniture, galvanized pieces, architectural salvage and gobs more will be waiting for you!  Check out the JB Knacker Facebook page for fun pictures of stuff before the sale!  Hope you can make it!!

**there is a chance that the construction on your way into Gilbert from Hwy 69 will be finished and you'll get to use our new round-about (so European!)...but if it's not, just go 2 miles south of the "normal turn into Gilbert" off of Hwy 69 (190th Street) to 170th Street, turn west and follow the detour signs into Gilbert...sorry for the inconvenience...the sale will be worth it!

                                                                                                    Brenda

Pacing Myself

The pace of July...it's slow and easy.  And well, to be truthful...that's how it's been at the shop...slow and easy. If there were one month that I would think about closing the doors on the shop...July would be the one.  It's summer vacation time, it's road-work/detour time, it's hot & muggy...it's July!  I'm not complaining...just honestly thinking. I have found by experience that if you create fun events...they will come.  But I have also learned from experience that you can EVENT people out!  And you can event yourself and your family members out.

Slow and easy can be good.  It allows thoughtful contemplation and a break from the "high" of retail. It allowed me to heal from a surgery and has pointed me in the path of prayer again.

The hustle & bustle of retail will return along w/ the decisions to do this show or have this workshop or plan this event.  I have one more week of July...and I'm going to enjoy it...quietly.

                                     Brenda

Junkin' in June..It's Almost Time!

Save the weekend: Friday & Saturday, June 28th & 29th 9am-5pm!  It's time for central Iowa's Junk Jaunt, summer edition...we fondly call it Junkin' in June!  There are 23 venues on this edition!  We're talking about brick & mortar shops, barns, outdoor flea markets, sheds & chicken coops full of the good junk we love!!  Here is the map that will get you from one junk venue to the next.  Go ahead and print it to start planning your route!

     Here at JB Knacker in Gilbert, we will have the shop full, full, full plus great deals and mark-downs throughout!  We will also have our wonderful flea market in the side yard consisting of 12+ vendors...really talented folk from around central Iowa that each have their own take on junk:

1. Ted's Shed~Ted and Nanette from Woolstock will fill their booth w/ chunky wood tables and dressers, primitives, wire, metal industrial and all sorts of great finds!
2. Laura Galvin~ Laura from Ames creates sweet vignettes w/ all of her great vintage treasures...perfect ideas for your home!
3. Suzanne & Karol~Suzanne from Sheldahl Crossing and avid junker, Karol will have a great mix of industrial, antique furniture and just truly unique junk! 
4. Past Time Treasures~ This is a family affair specializing in making junk beautiful! The Beaman family Hunt, Re-Do and Re-Purpose vintage items that make unique additions to your home and garden.
5. JuNKey JeWeLs~ Sue from Johnston & her sister Paula from Boone will set-up around Paula's vintage camper w/ simply pretty jewelry and sweet junk!
6. Linda Matson~ jewelry & junk maven, Linda  from Des Moines, will also set-up outside of her vintage camper...think sassy!
7. Industrial Lace~avid junker and jewelry maker, Jess from Gilman does great stamped silver jewelry and awesome repurposed junk!
8. SOS Antiques~    from New Providence is a new-comer to the JB Knacker flea market but knows what we all crave in good junk!
9. Elyze from Des Moines is also a newbie to this flea market but is a pro at this repurposed & repainted vintage junk!
10. Judith & Ronda have been at this vintage thing for a while (does that make them sound old?).  And they have it down to an art!  Judith will also be baking her mouth-watering monster cookies!
11. Stevie from Des Moines is also a pro at the antique & vintage stuff...I hear she finds "the coolest stuff!"
12. Toni from Des Moines will be whipping up a batch of her vintage-inspired table runners great for weddings, showers and any celebration!

The shed in the back yard will also be open w/ refreshments, vintage & handmade wares (think fabric banners, aprons, pom poms and vibrant painted furniture) and sweet treats.  And just down the road a block or two, Stella's on Main will be stuffed w/ junk with a flea market outside of her shop...Gilbert will be a good place to be this Junkin' in June.  Please check out and like the Junkin' in June Facebook page for more info. on each venue, hotel information and just plain fun inspiration.

 ***Detour Info:  Gilbert is getting a round-about in their little town to accommodate the up-tick in traffic from the new high school (note...this is a big deal for a little town...very European!).  And because of this, you can't turn into Gilbert on 170th from Hwy 69 and expect to get to Main Street (where everything is happening).  But fear not...all you have to do is go down (south) 2 miles to 190th, west a couple of miles till you hit pavement/George Washington Carver Rd, north 2 miles on George Washington Carver and turn east back into Gilbert.  There are other routes from Story City or on gravel...you'll get to JB Knacker...don't worry!***

**we will be changing the Facebook page and the "title" of this event to Central Iowa's Junk Jaunt after this June event.  We also do a  fall edition called Fall for Junk in October (Oct 11th & 12th this fall) and this name change will make it easier to follow this biannual event** 
                                                                     Can't Wait,
                                                                             Brenda

Glad to be Home...

It was a wild ride in April for this shopkeeper!  We attempted to keep the shop full and presentable while doing 2 large junk shows...Junk Bonanza in Shakopee, MN and Junk Jubilee in Des Moines, IA.  Well...we did it with a lot of help...thank you kids, husband, mom and employee/friend, Joan!!  JB Knacker had the best retail month in the shop's 8 yr history!

Spring Shop Hop

Easter was wonderful...all 6 kiddos home to celebrate the risen Lord!  As promised every year, spring has arrived!  That is not to say we won't have a little more snow and cold weather, but the sun is shining, the chickens are laying and the grass is greening! To help celebrate this rebirth...join my shop and 7 others in this neck of the woods for a Shop Hop Spring Fling style on Friday & Saturday, April  5th & 6th from 9am-5pm both days.  

You can start at any one of the eight shops...all of us will have maps to get you to the next shop.  We will also stamp your map after you've perused our shop...get all 8 stamps from all 8 shops participating, and you will be put in a drawing for a $100 gift card to the one shop of your choice on the Shop Hop!  It has been a while since I've blogged, and I am having a heck of a time putting the map into this post, so I guess...you will just have to make JB Knacker in Gilbert your first stop...and I will get you to the other 7 stops!  All shops will have maps and all will be spiffed up and ready for a great weekend of junkin'!   Hope you can make it!
     
                                                                                                          Brenda

Spring Fever...I Think I've Caught It!

JB Knacker's Spring Fever event is less than 2 weeks away.  A bit of an early start to spring in these parts, but after this week's supposed blizzard...I think welcome!  We will be blowing off the winter blahs and greening up the old place...moss, succulents, whatever we can dig up that screams "SPRING!"  Potting tables, painted hutches, galvanized anything, garden gates, rustic wood crates & small boxes, architectural salvage, ironstone & pewter pitchers, old coffee jars w/ zinc lids...are all on the list of must-haves and this list will continue to grow right up until the event!

 Join JB Knacker on Fri., March 1st 10-5pm, Sat., March 2nd 10-5pm & Sun., March 3rd 11-4pm for our Spring Fever Event...it's a really good bug to catch!  

Chocolate, Wine and a Little Valentine at JB Knacker

 

 This coming Saturday, January 26th is JB Knacker's chocolate, wine and a little valentine event from 10am-5pm!  It's just that time of the year to freshen up the shop w/ some sweet things...delicate tea cups, hearts of all sorts, mirrors, chandeliers, wine glasses and whatever else finds us on our hunt for the best vintage around.  Join us for sips of wine, nibbles of chocolate and Sweet Madeline's famous mini-cupcakes.  

 

And a grateful thank you to Flea Marketstyle Wedding magazine for listing JB Knacker as one of the shops to check out great vintage in Iowa!  We were listed along w/ Sisters Garden & Bloom in Kalona, The Calico Hen House in Waterloo and West End Architectural Salvage in DesMoines!

Brenda