Partners Joe and Amanda Johnson are committed to reviving history. Through their new antique shop, Antiques at Revival, they are attempting to do just that, one piece at a time. In June, they opened their business on Leavenworth Street with the goal of giving the Omaha community not just a run-of-the-mill antique shop but one that provides knowledge, advice, and lessons to its customers.
“In January of this year, I accidentally found myself without a job,” Amanda remembers. “We’ve always had dreams of opening an antique shop, so Joe says to me, ‘You can either go get a job, or we can create one for you.’ The rest is history.”
The shop carries a large variety of furniture, home décor pieces, and other odds and ends. Items so odd, in fact, that you can find air plants, terrariums, and even farm-fresh eggs. The couple continuously hunt for items all over the country to bring back pieces that customers might not usually see in this region. Those that ultimately end up in the shop date from around the 1790s to the 1970s. In addition to selling items, Amanda says Antiques at Revival is the only antique shop in Omaha that offers interior design and furniture repair and refurbishing classes.
“We do our best to specialize in high-quality, well-preserved merchandise,” Amanda explains. “Some of our pieces need a little TLC, and we put in the time, effort, and skill that it takes to bring them up to par. The craftsmanship that is put into antique pieces isn’t something you come across today. It is truly amazing to look at a piece and see the detail, history, and pride that went into making it.”
With their shop, the Johnsons strive to be involved with the Douglas County Historical Society to help support their efforts of preserving Omaha’s history. Each month, Antiques at Revival donates a portion of their profits to the DCHS.
“We truly believe in the efforts of the historical society and all they do for Omaha and Douglas County. Without the historical society, a lot of Omaha’s history may have been lost forever,” Amanda says.
These monthly contributions are just one way this eclectic antique shop is striving to keep history, particularly Omaha’s, alive.
Antiques at Revivalr4541 Leavenworth St.r402-315-9761rantiquesatrevival.com