June
2002
Business
Spotlight: Artifacts Gallery
Trenton
memorabilia and picture framing on South Broad
By
Joe Emanski
More than 15 years ago, Marge Miccio grew somewhat weary of the
long days in the framing shop where she worked. Considering the
amount of time she spent there, she thought, why not open her
own store?
So that's what she did. Today, Marge owns and operates Artifacts
Gallery, at 1025 South Broad Street, which she and her husband,
Robert Wagner, run together. In the store you will find many memories
of Trenton, from old Trenton beer bottles to early-twentieth century
postcards to a 70s era Trenton city magazine heralding the arrival
of, well, the Quaker Bridge Mall.
If you should find something you'd like to purchase in the store,
you can take it up to Marge behind the counter and ask her opinion
about how you should display it. If it can be framed, chances
are Marge can give you an idea of what would look nice. After
25 years as a picture framer, Marge admits she has a strong sense
of what sort of framework looks good with certain pieces.
A
native of Ewing and a graduate of Ewing High School, Marge attended
art school as a painting major- "not exactly career track,"
she says. "Framing satisfied my need for creativity and craftsmanship,
while allowing me time to paint."
Robert Wagner is a retired Mercer County vocational-technical
school teacher. In 1979 he and Marge purchased a home in Mill
Hill for $125 at a city homestead auction.
"It
was a wreck," says Marge, "And we're still working on
it." In 1981 they moved in, putting them a bit ahead of the
curve that has seen Mill Hill become once again a trendy Trenton
locale.
In
the meantime, they have opened Artifacts Gallery and turned it
into a resource for the community.
According
to Marge, one of the things that sets Artifacts Gallery apart
from other frame shops is that they work with antique frames.
They also do museum-quality framing. For people who are looking
for display accessories such as easels, archival storage or pedestals,
Artifacts Gallery has many answers.
In 1998, Artifacts was named Trenton's Small Business of the Year.
As
to why she decided to open up a memorabilia and framing store,
Marge says, she wanted her store to be more interesting than the
shop she had been managing, which "which was basically piles
of frames."
After
having been around for 15 years, says Marge, "People know
that we carry [Trenton artifacts] and they bring it to me. Also,
I use the Internet." Before the days of the Internet, Marge
adds, acquiring items was more challenging, but back then, flea
markets, yard sales and church sales were a great source of material.
On occasion, the store advertised in relevant publications.
"There
are people out there who like Trenton things," Marge says.
Collectors of Trenton memorabilia know to stop in to see what
she's got in stock, what's new.
"Sometimes
someone will retire from the state and the group from their office
will come in here to find memorabilia for them, instead of giving
them a trophy or a plaque," she says.
Meanwhile,
Marge has not given up the satisfaction she gets from creating
new art.
"I
am still an artist, working in pastels and oils," she says,
adding that her artworks are on display at the Rhinehart-Fischer
Gallery, Ellarslie, and of course, Artifacts Gallery. These days
she goes to Artworks, where she and other artists take on the
challenge of painting a live nude model.
She
is also a member of the Association For Gravestone Studies, and
she enjoy visiting Riverview cemetery. It's "one of Trenton's
most beautiful and underappreciated spots," she says., and
that my husband is on the Trenton Zoning Board.
Anyone
who has ever looked for remnants of Trenton's past knows that
sometimes it can be quite challenging. Fortunately, Marge and
Robert are there on South Broad Street to keep such material from
disappearing completely.
#
# #
Artifacts
Gallery
1025 S. Broad St.
609-599-9081
Hours: Tues-Fri 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
