LAKE WORTH — There are no tears. Not much emotion at all as business partners Dawn Hart and Harry Turen pack up their stuff at Bulldoggers Antiques, a shop that's closing on Thursday at 205 N. Federal Highway after four years in business in downtown Lake Worth.

"This wasn't an emotional decision," said co-owner Turen, 68. "It was a business related decision. The selling season here is very short and our peak season is the five months all the snowbirds come to Florida to get warm. We get those people in here. It ramps up after New Years and then in May we are totally dependent on local people."

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Hart, a co-owner, said since the business is seasonal, it didn't generate enough income to stay open. "We're closed during the summer, so for us, it just didn't make sense anymore," said Hart, 63. "We're happy and we're sad. I've had a lot of fun."

Patti Sheldon, the pair's landlord, said she "had no problems with (Hart and Turen)."

The pair took over the space from Hart's brother. "He already had an established antique shop here, so that made it easy for us," Hart said. "People were coming to see him and we were here."

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Bulldoggers Antiques sells a little bit of everything — furniture, jewelry, glassware, paintings, record albums and chandeliers. They get merchandise from around the globe, Hart said. "Two summers ago we hit 32 states," she said. "The fun part if the buying."

Hart has been into antiques her entire life. She describes the feeling like the one kids get on Christmas Day when they're about to open their presents. "When I go to an estate, I see all these wonderful things I've never seen before," she said. "I get the same Christmas feeling when I do that."

Working in Lake Worth has been fun. The pair have met interesting people from all over the world — Germany, Australia, South Korea and Mexico. "The people are very kind and part of this business," Hart said. "I'm gonna really miss that."

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Turen said after May, there isn't much going on in his store, but it got better over the years. "People who live and work in Lake Worth got to know us and they would stop in," he said.

But ultimately, they were dealing with a shrinking customer base the past few years.

"The older people are shrinking away and the younger generation are not interesting in antiques," Turen said. "We get young people in here, but it's very seldom. Antiques, furniture and things like that, we don't sell it to young people."

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Hart said downtown is actually better for bars and restaurants. "You have people that love to eat out every day," she said. "You don't need to buy antiques and collectibles every day."

After working seven days a week, the pair couldn't wait to go out and... pick. "We'd take off for three months and go all over the country and find these items and bring them to the store." Turen said.

The most expensive item they every sold was a Hopi American Indian seed pot for about $7,000. "It was made by a potter in 1910," Turen said.

So, what's next for Hart and Turen?

"Travel," she said immediately. "We're gonna do a lot of traveling."

kthompson@pbpost.com



@kevindthompson1