By Ty Walker
The Mountain Times
To say Kathy Myers-Murawski enjoys collecting things is an understatement. Hunting and finding unique things is a passion for her.
Over the past 50 or more years, she has collected an eclectic variety of items, everything from beads, bracelets and jewelry to vintage clothing, Hot Wheels and Western art, all things she turns around and sells at Mountain Treasures & Collectibles, her new shop in the Sandy Marketplace.
“I have so much stuff,” Kathy said. “I just didn’t want to deal with it anymore. I still enjoy hunting and finding things, so it’s a terrible disease.”
Known locally as “The Bead Lady,” Kathy has had several stores in Sandy over the decades. Opened last December, Mountain Treasures is the latest. She first moved to Sandy in 1974 and opened her first shop in the late 1970s.
After the death of her second husband eight years ago, she closed her previous store and took some time away from the business, but she kept on collecting. She loved the hunt too much to stop.
“I thoroughly enjoy it.” she said.
She finds inventory for her store hunting at estate sales, garage sales and thrift stores. You never know where you’ll find that perfect hidden gem for your collection.
Kathy has a variety of everything on display in the 1,000 square-foot store. There’s lots of beautiful jewelry, mostly sterling silver, many necklaces, racks of assorted earrings, trays of turquoise, coral, amber ,copper, rose quartz, lapis, malquite and a few pieces of gold.
“I decided it’s time to get rid of a lot of things,” Kathy said. “There comes a time you have to let go of things.”
New shelves are filled with vintage plates, dishes and coffee mugs. You’ll find some real treasures like Native American pottery and Storyteller dolls. Racks are swelling with vintage clothes, dresses, jackets, shirts and boots.
Her son plans to bring in his large collection of Hot Wheels and model cars.
There are large collections of Fenton glassware and carnival glass at the shop, not to mention
old beer steins and Galileo thermometers.
Mountain Treasures & Collectibles is open five days a week 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, phone Kathy at 503-740-0454 or see beadlady@hotmail.com.
Other antiques and collectibles dealers come in and buy from her, since she keeps prices reasonably low.
“I want them to come in and check us out, look around and see what we have to offer,” Kathy said.