Denham Springs a hot spot for antiques
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Kim and Al Bye are part of a diverse group. As members of the Denham Springs Antique Merchants Association, they are helping keep the Denham Springs Antique Village alive and well. The village, which encompasses about three blocks in the old part of the city, features about 30 businesses offering more than just antiques.
“We’re very diverse,” Kim Bye said. “We have gift shops, a flower shop and restaurants. We like to call it one-stop shopping.”
She said the village’s big draw is the diversity. It’s also the small-town friendliness offered by the people of Denham Springs.
“Everybody here is a personally-owned business,” Al Bye said. The majority of shop owners in the village are from Livingston Parish.
However, the village is a draw to outsiders as well. Forty percent or more of customers come from outside the Hammond-to-Lafayette area, the couple said. People in the area for conventions and similar events sometimes make a side trip to the village, too.
One of the big things in the village is an influx of arts. Al Bye said there are now two galleries that display, sell and teach art.
The antique village as a whole is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a certified Main Street USA. The Main Street designation is important because it allows the village to apply for grants to help with beautification and restoration of the area.
Kim and Al Bye are part of Denham Springs history themselves. Together they are part owners of the old Carol Theatre, now known as Theatre Antique Mall, a collection of more than two dozen booths.
Al Bye said many people come in and talk about how they remember going to the theater before Interstate 12 and U.S. 190 cut through the area.
As far as longevity goes, Earl Benton has had a shop in the village since the middle of the 20th Century, Al Bye said. And at the age of 84, he is still in business today as Benton Bros. Antiques.
The old city hall and jail were recently renovated and are now open as a museum Monday through Friday. But the village isn’t just about shopping. Several special events take place throughout the year.
One of the most recent events was “Red, White and Denham,” which took place Memorial Day weekend. Other events include Pioneer Day (March), Fall Festival (October), Holiday Open House (November) and Chef’s Evening & Wine Tasting Event (December).
On the Net: http://www.denham springsantiquedistrict.com
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