With their move into the former Famous Labels' space, Blum's Auction Service sees a bright future.
"I think it's an opportunity to grow," Carol Fry, general manager of Blum's Auction, said Friday while standing in the site they are going to call home. Fry said she sees the business ready to accept merchandise in "about two weeks."
"We should have our first bid board auction here by March 3," she said.
Both Blum's and Black Diamond Antiques were relocated because Dunham's Sports is moving in. The company has 160 sites, with 23 locations in the state. A spring opening is possible, said Elaine Maneval, mall manager.
Paris Auctions, owned by Ruby Paris, an auctioneer, also must move. Maneval said the mall is working with her for a space in the mall.
This is the third move for Black Diamond; it will occupy about 50,000 square feet of the space. The initial location was at Sugarman's, Maneval said. Both businesses were in the former Hess's Department Store before moving again.
"This relocation of Black Diamond, Blum's and Ruby, along with the spring 2012 Dunham's opening and the projected spring 2012 theater expansion opening will definitely provide a springboard for future leasing activity and additional tenants seeking to locate here," Maneval said.
Guns, toys, coins, books, jewelry and other things are sold at Blum's, Fry said.
"It's like treasure hunting all the time," she said.
Moving back to the site where Blum's originally started is like a homecoming, Fry said.
Irvin Yeich bought the business from George Blum in late 2004 and opened at its "new" location in 2005, he said.
His entry into buying the business started when he owned S&Y Automotive, Pottsville, in 1975 and later sold it because a larger company was gaining an entry into the area and wanted to buy the store. Blum sold it to another buyer and got out of the business.
"I wasn't ready to retire at that particular time yet," Yeich said.
Blum's had two locations in Pottsville prior to relocating to the mall, according to Republican-Herald archives.
The first location at the mall was about 8,000 square feet of the former Hess's Department Store, Maneval said. The move to the new site provides 35,000 square feet of space, much bigger than the 16,000 at the site they are vacating.
In 2005, Blum's had 20 consigners - now it has 210, Fry said. The company receives proceeds from each sale, Fry said.
About 100 people sign up for a number to bid or sell items a month, she said. Items are on display for a month and on the first Saturday of the month they are sold. Bidders have a final opportunity to increase the price they are willing to pay for a item at that time, she said.
Since locating to the mall, 8,700 people have requested numbers, she said.
With the expansion, more employees might be needed if business permits, she said. Currently, there are 14 employees.
A concession stand also is in the future, she said.
Fry said the longevity of the business is attributable to customer service and the hard work of the employees.
"Our customers have been great," she said. "Hopefully we'll be here a long time."