“For a business to succeed and really start creating some growth activity, the time had come to do that,” McCarthy said. “Over the last 10 years, it boiled down to: Is this going to be a hobby or a business? My wife and I decided this is time to give it a good push.”

Architectural items and materials will fill the building’s first floor, with room to better display them. But the couple also have plans for the second floor. An art gallery upstairs will feature artists’ booths. So far, about six artists have signed on. A center for crafting workshops and retreats also is eventually planned for the second floor. McCarthy’s wife, Christine, a crafter herself, is behind that effort.

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As for the public’s interest in the items he sells, McCarthy is confident that won’t diminish.

“Interest has grown very significantly,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of uptick in do-it-yourselfers. They want to find something other than what you can get at a big box store, like unique light and bathroom fixtures. We’re also seeing a growing repurposing crowd who turn doors into furniture, windows into stained glass windows. We’re a resource for people.”

via Vintage building materials company moving to larger Two Harbors site | Duluth News Tribune | Duluth, Minnesota.