At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 8, 2017, Morrison Chamber of Commerce hosted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at As Good As New. The resale shop is located at the former Vision Source office of Dr. David Jennings and Dr. Bradley Yaklich, 201 E. Market Street, Morrison, IL. Including the photographer, 21 people came to support the new business.
Co-owner Tonya Swinbank stated. “We’ve made lots and lots of friends in this town. I feel my roots are getting deeper and deeper. Eveyone’s willing to share knowledge. [It is gratifying] to be surrounded by that.”
The resale shop has 14 display areas, with 3500 square feet in the building, including an upstairs. There are five additional rooms for the owners’ personal use; one is a break” room. Merchandise is grouped by theme: holidays; man’s cave; antiques; kitchenette; children’s items, for example. Granddaughter Hailey Lewis watches a video on an old device, which is kept running to keep children occupied while parents shop. Kids can “pre-adopt” a pet from the kennel–playing with it on the premises; play at the table; crawl inside the tent.
It pays to look around closely. These folding chairs are grouped in a former closet with a hand pump. Men’s ties hang near fishing gear. A glass-topped, Coca-Cola bistro table and chairs has a Coco-Cola wall advertising above it.
The Grand Opening followed wiith balloons, children’s movies, and McDonald’s goodies for the kids. At 2:00 p.m., names were drawn for kids’ items, adult date nights, and gasoline cards. Refreshments were offered. The Sterling Minstrel, Tre Oates, played guitar outside.
Shown left-to-right are an unidentified female customer; Chamber Board member Kevin Schisler; owner Warren Swinbank holding the ribbon with his son, Brandon Swinbank at far right; Board members Pam Pfister and President Katie Selburg; Director of the Morrison Area Development Corporation Kim Ewoldsen‘s children, Owen and Kelsey in front; owner Tonya Swinbank with scissors; daughter, Amanda Eisman; a quintet that includes Brandon’s fiancee, Natale Collton, grandchildren Hailey, Heaven, and Jordan Lewis, and Heaven’s friend, Danica Aldridge; customer Shirley Hart; Chamber Coordinator Meridith Layne in back; Chamber member Stephanie Vavra; customer Michael Hart in back; Tre Oates. Son-in-law Steven Eisman was unable to attend .
