It s the strip malls that more commonly meet the wrecker s ball. Or, the historical buildings are taken down so quickly that Sundheim has no time to salvage any piece at all. The Midwest also is the primary plucking ground for Carrie and Tim Wise, who specialize in mantles and fireplaces. Their Niwot shop is nestled among the antique stores of the Old Town. At first glance, the shop looks like a fireplace factory, circa 1890.
Mantles lean against the walls all kinds and varieties looking stranded and forlorn.
Selling mantles is a rare specialty within a specialty. For the Wises, it came about by happenstance. Eight years ago, Tim Wise was refinishing furniture when he received his first mantle. His location, plopped in the middle of thousands of new houses, proved serendipitous. A mantle makes a house a little more than just a tract home with a tile fireplace.