Third Time’s A Charm For Dayton’s Lowes

DAYTON - Duane and Brenda Lowe will close shop on Brenda's Discount and Antiques on the corner of 4th and Main in Dayton next month, but it won't likely be the last time this couple "retires."

After all, this is the third time Duane has retired. And Brenda says antique dealing is in her blood. "I'm not getting out of it, that's for sure. I love it. I love the people, and I like pretty things," she said.

The Lowes opened the shop in May of 2007. Brenda got into antiques about a year prior and sold old furnishings, toys, decorations, handmade aprons and candy with a friend out of a booth at Village Shoppes in downtown Dayton.

"I decided I would go into it full time," she said of her decision to purchase the building next door to Main Street Salon and the Palus Artifact Museum.

"We've gotten to know a lot of wonderful people through the business," she said. "It's been a lot of fun. I love going into Seattle to get goods."

But in the past year or so, the Lowe's have found it more and more difficult to continue with business as usual.

"It's just gotten to where we can't afford to go to the auctions anymore," Brenda said. "We used to get some wonderful stuff in the beginning, but the economy hasn't helped. And it costs too much to drive that big truck around."

The Lowes will close their store on Jan. 9. In the remaining few days, all antiques, furnishings and collectibles are 25 percent off. "And people should come in and make us an offer," Brenda said.

The Lowes hope to sell the building, but they will save any items that don't sell in the coming two weeks.

"If I have to, I'll put them in the garage and take items to Walla Walla or have estate or yard sales," Brenda said.

The couple keeps a booth at the Country Store Consignment and Antique Mall across the street from Kmart in Walla Walla.

Duane Lowe is a longtime Daytonite. He was born and raised in town and left only to serve for 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. He met British-born Brenda in 1969, just after returning from service in Vietnam.

Brenda was born in 1943, during World War II, in London. The two fell in love and married. They considered living in England, but a new law which would double tax retired Americans living in the country had Duane ready to come back home.

He moved out ahead of the family - Brenda had three young daughters at home and Duane had occasional custody of three children. Together the Lowes had a son. Duane found work in construction and sent for his family.

"So there I was," she said. "I'd never been on an airplane in my life, never been out of the rinky-dink town I lived it."

But in 1977 Brenda found herself living and working in Dayton. She got a job at the cannery and cleaned houses for extra income. Duane wasn't in the construction business long. Soon he went to work for the city operating equipment until about 1994, when he took over as superintendent in charge of Dayton's wastewater treatment plant. He retired from that position in 2004.

In all that time, he also drove ambulance for 16 years.

The Lowes have 23 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Dayton is their home and they have no intention of leaving, they both said. If having their home burn down twice couldn't chase them away, nothing will, they said.

The Lowes lost their home - twice - to fires. About three years ago their dream house went up in flames while they were out of town. They had the structure rebuilt, but that Christmas a fire in the chimney gutted the home again.

"It was a big house," Brenda said. "It took 25 years to get it the way we wanted it. We lost lot and lots of collectibles."

They've made up for the loss by amassing enough antiques, collectibles and furniture to keep them busy well into their retirement.

To reach the Lowes and find out more about their retirement sale, make a deal on merchandise or inquire about the sale of their building, call 509-382-2278 or Duane's cell phone at 509- 520-9054.