Tree of Life Home, Art and Vintage Market is set to open a newly renovated 3,000-square-foot basement space, known as Under the Tree.
The basement, which owner Michelle Hohmeier estimates is at least 80 years old, has undergone a five-month restoration and will be home to several antique vendors and a new workshop space when it opens Saturday.
Tree of Life, which opened in November 2019 at 109 E. Main St. in Festus, offers home goods, art, gifts and furniture. Hohmeier said she wanted to create a new space where they could focus more on antiques.
“I love antiques, I always have,” Hohmeier said. “I just thought it would be cool to bring the old stuff into the old basement.”
Under the Tree will be home to 10 vendors, with room for four more to move in. They will offer local art, antique decor, vintage novelty items and more. Among them is Carolyn Choc, owner of Primitive Proper Finds. Choc is relocating her business to Under the Tree and says she’s excited to be part of a community of local sellers.
“It’s not only just the stuff, it’s the people, it’s the community it builds, and everybody’s there for the same goal,” Choc said.
Under the Tree will also be home to “L’Atelier,” French for “artist’s studio,” a corner of the basement designed to host classes. Hohmeier said there are already plans in the works for local artist Michelle Spencer to host pastel classes and Sarah Pini-Roedel to teach candle making.
The basement had suffered flooding years ago and sat largely unused with only a workshop space in the back that Hohmeier used to restore furniture. Converting it to house antiques was a challenging process that began in January.
“It took probably hundreds of hours,” Hohmeier said. “It needed so much cleaning and there were walls still down here that had the wallboard cut out 4 feet up because of the flooding. So, it was ripping all that out, and there was just so much to do.”
While building out Under the Tree, Hohmeier took care to protect the original charm of the basement. The steps down to the space are terrazzo tile from the old Woolworth building. They also took care to protect the decades-old wooden beams lining the walls.
“I love history, and this building has so much of it,” Hohmeier said. “We just had to keep it.”
Under the Tree will celebrate its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. More information can be found on the Tree of Life Facebook page.