Store transports shoppers Back In Time

Three years ago, Elna Rooney knew absolutely nothing about antiques.

But that was before she met Jeff and Lynn Chase, owners of Back In Time Antiques and Collectibles in downtown Columbia Falls.

“It was like talking to old friends,” she said of her first encounter with the Chases.

Soon after, Rooney found herself drawn to the store again and again, and drawn also to antique glass — something she’d never even considered collecting before.

“It made me look at things in a whole different way,” she said, attributing the time the Chases spent walking her through their store, taking the time to engage her in conversation and teach her about their passion for vintage collectibles.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, they’re going to guide you through it,” Rooney said.

And that level of faith and customer service is what drives the business.

“We’re still going strong and that’s because of the local people here,” Jeff Chase said. “We’ve all got to get through this together.”

Jeff and Lynn Chase have long been a part of the Flathead Valley antique scene. They started collecting nearly 20 years ago and rented a booth at the now-defunct Timeless Treasures in Kalispell before opening their own storefront on Nucleus Avenue.

Part of owning an antique store is providing people with a glimpse of the past, a chance to return to times gone by. Jeff and Lynn Chase took that nostalgic theory to heart when they created two retro rooms — one focused on the 1950s and ’60s, the other on the 1970s. The rooms combine midcentury furniture with vinyl albums the likes of Elvis, Joan Baez and more.

The items offered in those rooms may not be old enough to be considered antiques just yet, but they already have the ability to transport shoppers to a simpler time and place.

“I think people are coming in here to away from the stress of the world,” Jeff Chase said.

But the Chases can’t — and won’t — take credit for all the treasures their store has to offer.

Back In Time also leases retail space to 11 other area collectors. It’s a business model used by many antique and salvage shops, including the Shops at Station 8 located down the road. It gives the Chases the chance to offer pieces from periods outside of their midcentury niche.

In addition to the many styles and time periods offered, it’s the comaradarie the Chases extend to their customers that keeps them coming back.

Cultivating those relationships is one of the best parts of the job, Jeff Chase said.

“That’s the fun part of this business, we can sit and talk with people,” he said.

Fun or not, connecting with the community is what has kept the store viable during the recession. After all, tourists can’t very easily shove an antique dining chair into their suitcase, no matter how much they love it.

Since the recession started, shoppers have changed what they are willing to buy, Jeff Chase said.

The focus has shifted away from collectibles to display on shelves to items that can be put to use everyday. Furniture and utensils remain strong sellers for that reason.

“Some of our stuff is 100 years old, but still usable,” Jeff Chase said.

Rooney bought an old stereo at the shop to play her vinyl records.

“You know if you get it there, there won’t be a condition problem,” she said. “You’re buying something that is fully functioning.

Reporter Erika Hoefer may be reached at 758-4439 or by e-mail at ehoefer@dailyinterlake.com.