SIOUX CITY, IOWA (KCAU) – On May 8, the Antiques on Historic Fourth owner announced a going out of business sale on its Facebook page.

“I was kind of surprised because it’s such a great destination for people to come and visit, so that’s why I was surprised and that’s why I’m in here to see what great treasures there are to take home with me,” Explore Sioux City’s Executive Director Kristi Franz said.

“A lot of people, I’ve made relations with here from out of state and all over,” Antiques on Historic Fourth Worker Ruben Johnson said.

Antiques on Historic Fourth announced it will be going out of business.

“The community has been supportive of us, but we’re just kind of just are going to go in a different direction for a while,” Antiques on Historic Fourth Owner Randy Peters said.

Kristi Franz is the Executive Director for Explore Sioux City and she knows how important antique shops like the one on Fourth Street are for the city.

“Places like this are really what brings people into, you know, come for weekends or long weekends or trips to see what treasures they can find. So for a place like this to close it definitely will have an impact on especially bringing people from out of town that are searching for unique stores like this,” Franz said.

Johnson has worked at the antique store since it opened. He says he has plenty of fond memories of working at the shop.

“There was a couple in here from Texas and they were shopping and for some reason I asked where they were from and they said Texas, and there was another couple in here at the same time that said ‘Oh, we’re from Texas too’. They only lived two blocks away from each other and didn’t know each other,” Johnson said.

The store owner has plans to clear out nearly 300,000 antique items.

“99 percent of antique people are really good people. I mean they’re friendly, they’re ready to talk, it’s just yeah. I’m going to miss it,” Johnson said.

During the second weekend of July, Antiques on Historic Fourth will hold an estate sale to clear out the basement, the store room and storage units.