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Ketchum’s Antique Alley to close. 1800s church that houses it could be torn down

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Posted at 8:37 PM, Jul 16, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-16 22:38:05-04

This article was originally written by Autumn Robertson for BoiseDev.

A Ketchum treasure will close at the end of the month after being in business for eight years.

Last fall, Alee Marsters, the owner of Antique Alley, was notified that the building she operates out of and the land it sits on have been sold by the property owner.

“I knew my days were numbered when I found that out,” Marsters said during an interview with BoiseDev.

Marsters was told in January that she would need to be out by March. The new owners granted her an extension through the end of July.

As for the future of her business, Marsters says rising costs in Ketchum would make it difficult to set up shop somewhere else. She says some of her items are for sale in other stores across the state.

Marsters works as a hairdresser on the side but says that that building is also being torn down. She says Antique Alley has always been her primary source of income.

Marsters said she didn’t want her story to be told in a way that makes people feel bad for her- she just wants people to realize how many businesses are closing and how much change has been happening in her home.

“I don’t want people to feel sad for me,” she said. “I think it’s more about businesses just losing what they’ve got, like Perry’s (Restaurant)… it’s just sad that we’re no longer going to be all these fun little personalities. Sidewalk to sidewalk is kind of sad for me.”

A new development

The building that houses Antique Alley now sits with a 60-day notice sign. It was constructed in the 1800s and has a rich history in the city. It was once a Baptist church, Crazy Susan’s T’s Etc. shop, various galleries, and eventually Antique Alley.

Now, per a public hearing notice, the land could be home to new office space and condominiums. The proposed project is a three-story building with 10,932 square feet.

The building would have space for five tenants and seven parking spaces. The application says the building would be subdivided into five office condominium units with amenities.