Yarger returns to Princeton to open South Main Antiques

PRINCETON — Ron Yarger of Granville opened South Main Antiques in Princeton the end of August using some of the antiques he has collected throughout the last 15 to 20 years.

“I decided it was something I enjoy, going to antique malls and auctions where I picked up these items,” said Yarger, who is retired from working with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

He is a part-time school social worker in the Mendota Elementary School District and has looked for awhile to find a building to open his own shop.

“I have talked about it for several years,” said Yarger, who graduated from Princeton High School and still considers Princeton his hometown.

Among his treasures, he has old furniture and wooden pedestals for sale, as well as crocks, Sleepy Eye gnomes and primitives in his store at 418 S. Main St. in Princeton.

“This is only about one-third to one-half of my collection I have at home,” he said. “I will bring over more to replenish what I have in the shop.”

Yarger doesn’t have items on consignment from other owners; all of the antiques he has at his store are his own.

Some of the other antiques he has includes kitchen ware, gray granite ware, enamel ware and cream and green ware plus some political items. He even has an unusual autograph of former President Millard Fillmore.

During the first few weeks he has been open, Yarger has seen people come into his shop who he hasn’t seen for many years. When he did live in Princeton, he coached Little League for nine years before getting drafted into the service.

South Main Antiques is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Even though it may not be the greatest time to open an antique shop, Yarger is banking on his items being better than what is displayed in many antique malls.

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