But now, Cleek's Used Furniture will be closing its doors at the end of the month, leaving Shelbyville without one of its most unique shops. The last day of business will be July 30.
Cleek said that business is half of what it was in previous years and he has sold his building located at 200 and 202 North Main St. to contractor Bobby Parker.
Calling Cleek's shop just a "used furniture store" wouldn't be an accurate description. When one steps into the business, they feel as they are taken back in time as they look over many of the collectible items that grace the walls and shelves of the store.
One sign advertises gasoline for 18 cents a gallon, a price that not many can remember these days, but would certainly like to pay again.
Some of the items, such as vinyl records, mostly have already been moved out although some still remain that collectors might want to look at. The Cleeks have been moving items out of the building for the past five weeks.
Cleek is also a collector of local memorabilia; nearly one entire wall is covered with photographs of many of the Tennessee Walking Horse champions. Cleek did have a complete collection, but sold some of the older images years ago. "I wished I had kept them," he said with regret.
Cleek first got into the practice of collecting pulls and knobs for antique furniture, such as rare handles for chests of drawers, some of which are made of glass that fetch a good price. Cleek has some 4,000 pieces that customers from all over Tennessee come to match to their older furniture sets.
"I've always collected," Cleek said. "I've had a philosophy: If it's cheap, I bought it!"
Cleek also has a collection of old local newspapers, including one with a story about Shelbyville's first street lights. Photos from the 1940s, some of the Shelbyville Milk Co. and the Bedford Theater take up space in the shop.
One photo is of J.E. Williams Wholesale Grocery, which occupied the Cleek building in years past. In fact, the photo was taken from the spot in which one would stand to view the old image.
Before Cleek came here, he collected license plates and he still has a good amount. Old tools are also items he has gathered over the years, although he has moved most of those out of his shop. There is a large collection of glassware and Coca-Cola collectibles.
Cleek has many memories of working on the square, but he mostly remembers the horse shows and meeting the people that come from all across the country. "They're usually fascinated with the things on the walls," Cleek said.
But the main reason Cleek started the business was to sell chests of drawers, beds and dining room suites. Over the years, he has sold a great number of bed and he still has some odd sized sets, some which hardly can be found these days.
With so much inventory to move, Cleek has given some to local charities such as Goodwill. Some has gone to the dump and his and his father's house is filled with other items, he stated.
The items and the business will be leaving the square soon and, as they do, the Shelbyville square will be losing one of the things that makes this town unique -- a respect for the past.
(Brian Mosely)
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