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Letter to the editor

 

To the Editor:

This is a letter to the editor only from the standpoint that I do not know whom else to address this to. My name is Hannah Humes and I have been (some sort of) an antiques dealer since 1987. I stumbled into this business as an artist/explorer of sorts; lover of all things gnarly, worn and definitely old. I climbed in on the late side I suppose, but with no less vigor than a seasoned veteran.

Initially all went well and following my nose always led to something eventful, even if that failed to produce a viable antique. I had a young, fiery son at that point and a new daughter under the age of 1 in tow. Of course, it was also the 1980s, which seemed somewhat forgiving from the perspective of a then-novice. “Mi casa, su casa” took on whole new meaning as I found my mistakes could be your mistakes! Buying was far less debatable as mistakes were gobbled up happily without misrepresentation. The “fear factor” was much lower.

As time moved forward, the business evolved, as did my life. Suddenly doing a plethora of shows annually became self-defeating and financially depleting! Everyone juggled and adjusted, looking for new tributaries that might lead back to a once vigorous river. As things stacked up and struggling became a thread in common, one thing remained constant as I look back. The Bee was always kind enough to feature some aspect of my business; photos, personal hand shakes (still means a lot even though many have forgotten its purpose) often accompanied by wonderfully gracious write-ups.

You all did this without hesitation over and over during the past decade and beyond. You never asked for a thing, never crossed me off your list when my struggles grew and never brow beat me for prices, etc., if told no that day.

In a business where a “fish-ball” mentality can quickly ensue, this speaks absolute volumes to me on whomever is at the helm over there, in addition to the staff. If I may, I felt you were a bit of a port when seas were rough; perhaps even felt that there was a true level of appreciation/understanding for the plight of the average antiques dealer. Unsolicited support in this business is like nectar of the Gods.

Consequently, I might have been able to say thank you in a sentence or less but that seems sorely lacking under the circumstances. And, I don’t believe I have ever taken my appreciation and put it into words, so if you’re still receptive, thank you for backing me up and thanks for running such a solid operation. You have my undying respect and gratitude.

Best wishes for a prosperous future.

Appreciatively,

Hannah Humes

Westerville, Ohio