Creston woman opens antique and jewelry shop

Perhaps the most noticeable thing about walking into Alta May’s Treasure Shoppe is its sheer ornateness.

The store’s white walls, black tables and pink pedestals play blank canvas to the store’s rainbows of bracelets, watches, necklaces and earrings. Then there’s the variety of collectibles, among them a brown porcelain puppy sitting on a shelf, glassware showcased in a cabinet and a set of vintage silverware spread in an orderly line across a table. On the walls hang a selection of old paintings, watercolors and a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on a red background spotted with blue fleur-de-lis.

Carla Lawson describes her cozy shop, which she opened Feb. 1 at 218 W. Montgomery St. in Creston, as a place offering things you wouldn’t find at your typical store.

“That’s what I pick, different things,” she said. “I did a lot of research, and I wanted to bring all of the things that I love plus what isn’t here (in Creston).”

The store offers a variety of vintage and handmade jewelry — much of the latter made by Lawson herself — as well as gift baskets, antiques and collectibles. Lawson will also buy items from and trade with customers.

Lawson began collecting jewelry when she was 15, a collection that now includes items dating back at least 100 years. Her favorite styles are from the art nouveau movement at the turn of the century and the art deco movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

While Lawson’s career background is in nursing, she said her aspiration has always been to own a “treasure shoppe” of her own where she can share her love of jewelry making.

“It’s always been my dream to have a treasure shop and affordable antiques, collectibles (and) jewelry,” she said. “I also want to teach classes. I’d like to have that added in.”

The store, she said, is named after her late mother, Alta May Lawson, who gave her some of her first jewelry.

“She loved all of these girly things,” Lawson said. “It’s just kind of a tribute to her.”

Lawson grew up in Clarinda and studied nursing at Southwestern Community College. She moved to Creston from Red Oak in July of last year. Her son, Trevor Goodpasture, is in his final year studying computer engineering at Iowa State University.

In addition to offering jewelry-making classes in the future, Lawson also plans to feature local artwork, which will be for sale through her store. Currently, the store features watercolors by Jim Stalker and the Lincoln painting by Blake Fry-Schnormeier.

Overall, she said, she tries to keep the store’s prices affordable.

“I would say probably a couple dollars to $50,” she said. “There might be a couple higher than that, but ... most everything’s under $50.”

For Valentine’s Day, Lawson said she has several Valentine’s gift baskets available for sale, as well as several gift items. She said a ribbon cutting will be scheduled soon.