One idea to get to know your neighborhood better is to be a tourist for an afternoon and see what unexpected treasures you discover. I am reminded of this often as I travel through towns in Wisconsin. I was in Osh Kosh, and after a meeting walked up Main Street exploring. I loved the old architecture of the buildings. One building had the most unusual assortment of treasures in its windows. As I entered it through a large sliding door, I saw a mammoth open hall filled with all kinds of vintage materials, doors, old signs, chandeliers, murals and the list could go on and on.

Even more stunning was the architecture of the building itself. The owner described it as a work in progress. It was a former car dealership back in the day that is now Crescent Moon Antiques and Salvage. Around each corner was something that grabbed my attention such as the giant mural of the Lewis and Clark expedition that made me feel the excitement of discovery. I wanted to stay for hours and dive into the entire place.

I learned that their slogan is, “It’s not what you look at that matters, but what you see.” They are dedicated to assisting their friends with their thoughts and dreams through the reuse of our non-renewable architectural historic material.

The gems you can see in our communities!