After 87 years, a popular Palm Beach County antiques store is closing

A Palm Beach antiques store that has served island residents for decades is closing its storefront to refocus its efforts as solely as an online retailer. 

Kofski Antiques, 315 S County Rd., will shutter its doors at the end of the business day on May 2, marking the end of the company’s 87-year presence on the island.  

In honor of the transition, the company will holds its first-ever sale from April 30 to May 2, owners Chris and Melanie Hill told the Daily News. All items at the Midtown storefront will be marked 25% off. 

The Hills said the transition to an exclusively online business was spurred by the trends they’ve seen in the world of antiques. 

“We see how the industry has changed globally, and we knew we had to get in the game,” he said. 

The move was fueled in part by the town’s transition to paid street parking in recent years, a move the West Palm Beach-based couple said has greatly limited the ability for many of their customers to park near the store, because many of the nearby spaces are either metered or reserved for Palm Beach residents. 

The town’s recent instensifying traffic congestion also has had its impact on the store’s customers, Chris Hill said. 

But the time has come for a change.

“We’ve told our customers, ‘Did you think we were going to do this until we were 90?’” Melanie Hill jokingly said. 

Though the Hills say are excited for the next iteration of their business, they said, the transition has come as sad news for their customers.

“We really did have one-of-a-kind customers, and we’re very fortunate for that,” Melanie Hill said. “That’s what enabled us to keep the store thriving for so long.”

The transition will see the company bolster its online store with items usually reserved for sale at the South County Road location, including China sets, silverware and crystal glassware.  

Chris and Melanie Hill took over the business in 1985 from Gordon Kofski, whose mother, Laura Kofski, had founded it in 1939. The Hills move the shop from its previous location at the historic Palm Beach Daily News building, 204 Brazilian Ave., to its current location.  

Throughout its history on the island, the business has been a mainstay for antique enthusiasts. 

But that wouldn’t have been possible without their staff, the Hills said, specially their manager of 25 years, Nancy Mace.

Kofski Antiques is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit Kolfski.com, or call 561-655-6557. 

Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected].