For the second year in a row, Four Flags Antique Mall captivated Apple Festival window decorating judges with a their intricate and sweet themed window design, sweeping the first-place win Thursday.
Linda Kubiak who is manager of the store at 218 N. Second St., said that the win of $75 and an award plaque could not have happened without the concerted efforts of the 50 antique dealers who design and contribute to the window each year.
“They look forward to it every year,” she said. “It’s lots of fun. The staff has helped a whole lot too. Everyone pitches in.”
The collection of sweet festival and apple themed items speak to the history of the building and the pride for the Apple Festival.
Among the items of cakes, candy, fruit and fair signs sits an electric clown popping out from the treat display. This particular item belonged to the Montgomery Ward store — a department store equivalent to today’s JC Penney that used to operate out of the building.
Kubiak said that when they moved in, they found the clown in the attic and while she has no idea what the clown’s purpose was in the Montgomery Ward department store, the item has now found a new home in the Antique Mall.
Another historic item is an old ferris wheel seat and an original Apple Festival flag from the festival’s debut in 1973.
This flag caught window decorating judge and executive president to the Four Flags Apple Festival board Stacy Walsh’s eye as she walked down Second Street with the other contest judge Denise Kasprzak.
“That was the first thing that caught our eye,” Walsh said.
The Antique Mall display calls for more than a glance and the judges stopped to admire
the collection.
“It was a really nice display,” Walsh said. “You could tell they put a lot of hard work into it.”
Kubiak said that the store associates and antique dealers spent a couple of weeks getting the items together. One asset to their win, she said was the wide windows, which once displayed clothing for Montgomery Ward. The classic display windows provide a lot of room for creativity and chance to put on a big display.
Kubiak said that such display often draws people to stop on the sidewalk and look in on the various items. Sometimes people will even come in and purchase something that has caught their eye.
Two other businesses were awarded for their display. Signal Travel received second place and $15; third place and $10 was awarded to Backyard Furniture and Embellishments. A total of six businesses participated. This is down from previous years attendance, Walsh said.
For the Antique Mall, which has been part of the Niles community for 37 years, window decorating is a tradition that not only entices customers, it also contributes to a strong tie to the Niles community.
“It’s a good feeling for everybody here at the store,” Kubiak said. “We like the recognition, because we do put a lot of work into it and we like to participate in the things going on in the community.”