After being in business for 28 years, something new will happen at a Rochester store that specializes in old things.
The Old Rooster Antique Mallat 106 N. Broadway will get a new owner on Friday, when Ron Ruporttakes the reins of the business.
Ruport, who's a part owner of Mantorville Square Antiquesin Mantorville, is buying The Old Rooster from Gordy and Virginia "Granny" Kranz.
The Kranzes opened the mall there in 1985. Prior to that, they owned antique malls in Mazeppa and other spots in Rochester's downtown. The Old Rooster name originated when the couple ran an antique mall in the former Richard's Roostrestaurant building on First Street Southwest.
"I've known Gordy and Granny for a long time," says Ruport of how he came to buy the mall. "This mall gets good traffic, especially from Mayo Clinic patients."
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The mall currently has 12 dealers with two more on their way. Ruport says that will still leave room for a couple more dealers.
While he has no big changes on the way, the new owner plans to freshen up the mall with touches like new paint. The major innovation he is bringing in is the capability to accept credit cards.
One thing won't change much and that's the Kranzes. While they won't be the mall owners, they aren't retiring, says Gordy Kranz. He and his wife will remain on as dealers in the mall.
Kranz, a retired Rochester police officer, says the many years running The Old Rooster have been good ones.
"We've got good dealers that price items fairly. We don't have any hot shots," he says. "It's been interesting. People come in, look around and find something they are looking for. Then they're happy. If they don't find anything, they still had fun looking and it didn't cost them anything."
