The business, operated by Julie Munn Huppert, will celebrate its eighth anniversary Oct. 17.

Huppert got into the business when the woman who owned the shop was looking to get out of the retail side.

“She did estate sales also and she couldn’t do both,” Huppert said.

Growing up in Norway, Huppert gained an early interest in antiques and older things through her family.

Hello Again LLC, 120 E. Fleshiem St. in Iron Mountain, has a variety of unique household items for sale. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News)

“I grew up with a grandfather that liked to rescue and refinish furniture. He was upcycling before upcycling was a thing,” she said.

Her father would haul scrap metal for extra cash and she would sometimes go with him to the landfill.

“I would just think, ‘Wow, this place is magical.’ My family would take me to auctions. So to me it was kind of natural to really embrace this and repurpose things. Just bringing new life to things, helping with sustainability with not everything going to the landfill, teaching people that things can still have a purpose,” she said.

Emphasizing her love for all things, Huppert thinks she should have a T-shirt that says, “My super power is that I see the potential in everything.”

“I have a garage full of treasures to prove it. I see so many things and I think, ‘I can make that beautiful again.’ I will try to upcycle and restore things when I can. I don’t have the time or space to do super-elaborate projects. I do some fun ones,” she said.

Some of the things in the store are consignments, some are items she sourced or got from people inviting her to go through an estate at a family member’s home, or through estate sales. She and a friend also take a yearly buying trip to the Wisconsin/Minnesota border.

“We find lots of great things. And yes, sometimes things just find me,” she said.

“I don’t think I can pinpoint one thing in particular that interests me. I can see the beauty in a lot of things,” Huppert said. “I lean toward a lot of handmade things, like pottery, things carved from wood, things that have been painted, really well-made furniture. I do love hand-painted plates and things. They are no longer as trendy as they were but I can’t resist them. I rescue many things like that. I like things that have a little bit of history with them.”

“Lots of times I rescue really odd things. Like when I’m going through the estate and they say they’ve been cleaning for two weeks and have a dumpster there. Please stop cleaning. You’re saving what you think I want and you’re throwing away the things I really want,” she said. “I love things that have been forgotten in basements, garages, workshops, that a lot of people will overlook, things people created, built out of necessity with materials they had on hand. I love those things, and the family always says, ‘I thought that was garbage’ and I bring it here and people are like ‘Where did you find this?'”

Huppert said trends kind of ebb and flow. Things will peak and everyone has to have one, then the next trend is beginning.

“I’m not sure what the trend is right now. I am motivated to find unique, well-made things that you’re not going to stroll into a current retailers and find. I want things from the past that are made with a lot of care and will last and not end up in a landfill in a few years,” she said.

“I have stuff really for everyone’s taste. I have antiques, vintage, mid-Century modern, contemporary. There really is a little bit of everything,” Huppert said. “You find your piece and really make it your own. People always worry, ‘I don’t know if that really will go with what I have in my house.’ If you love it, you make it work.”

She added, “I would recommend people come often, because I’m always putting new things out, whether it be a consignment or something I’ve prepared. It’s always changing. If anyone is looking for specific things, let me know because I might have it in my stash or will probably run across it through my travels and connections.”

She is currently preparing for the first-ever inside flea market 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 17-18 at the Midtown Mall. Several vendors will be taking part.

“It’s a first-time event and I’m excited about that,” she said.

She and her husband, Dale, returned to the area in 2006 after his military career ended. They recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. They have two rescue dogs — Digby, the shop dog, and Dempsey.

The store at 120 E. Fleshiem St. is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, but she tries to accommodate people who can’t come during those hours. She can be reached at 906-239-2348, on Facebook at Hello Again LLC. or by email at huppert.julie.c@gmail.com.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.