Since the soft opening July 8 of his vintage retail shop at 111 Columbiana Plaza, business has continued to be brisk for the Columbiana High School graduate.

His parents Douglas and Lori Motry, both teachers, literally were watching the store Thursday and said traffic to Columbiana Vintage has been brisk since the soft opening earlier that week.

Douglas is a chemistry instructor at Kent State University, while Lori teaches history and government at Beaver Local.

They pretty much concur with Zhenya’s assessment of the Columbiana community, where he grew up and participated in an entrepreneur class that completed many projects throughout the city — especially around the Columbiana Plaza location his store would eventually occupy in adulthood.

Peacocks abound in this vignette, which celebrates their unique beauty in various pieces of framed artwork at Columbiana Vintage. The store is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays; and closed Sundays and Mondays. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

“People absolutely love shopping vintage and antiques. We’ve put together an amazing collection of furniture, decor and collectibles. And, the people are very supportive of small business, which makes it a perfect home for our store,” he explained in a press release.

Lori Motry explained that her son began collecting vintage pieces as a youngster and eventually needed a place to keep his treasures, a lot of which could be described as Mid-Century Modern.

This particular space formerly was occupied by Kimpel’s Jewelry and most recently Rankin’s Meat Market. However, now you will see much of his inventory, which has been selling briskly and being replaced by fresh inventory. Whether the vignette includes a sitting area with brightly colored and bold patterned chairs, or a lovely pure white twin bedroom suite, the store has something for everyone.

There is even a collectible room near the rear of the store, where one can peruse a curio filled with uranium, or vaseline glass. As Zhenya’s chemistry teacher father explained, one of the most reliable way to identify the presence of uranium in the glass is to expose it to the dark while lighting the area with ultraviolet light (i.e. a black light). This particular glass glowed green brightly when put to the test.

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission assures that although uranium is retroactive, no worries about possible toxicity to handling it, there is no recognized danger to doing so as the uranium contained is less than 25 percent, and that uranium level is based on the item’s weigh

Delivery is available for some of the larger and heavier furniture for an additional fee, and vendor spaces are available for rent.

Columbiana Vintage sings the praises of going vintage to anyone who will listen. After all, vintage quality lasts forever compared to anything you will find made with particleboard in a Big Box store in 2024.

Store hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Columbiana Vintage is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Columbiana Vintage does have an official Facebook page and can be reached at 330-272-6337 for additional information.

The presence of uranium in these collectibles contained within a curio cabinet at Columbiana Vintage makes them glow green. However, even though uranium is radioactive, the level varies from less than 1 to up to 25 percent by weight. There is no recognized danger to handling or using uranium glass, according to the United State Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

This charming vignette shows off some of the more fashionable kitchen accessories, like canister sets and dish towels, that can be found at Columbiana Vintage, 111 Columbiana Plaza. Columbiana High School graduate Zhenya Motry opened the brick-and-mortar location earlier this month to display some of the favorite pieces. Vendor booths are available for rent in the store’s back. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

This retro orange dining room set adds a punch of color to this kitchen vignette near the rear of Columbiana Vintage, reminiscent of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Located at 111 Columbiana Plaza, the store is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m Tuesdays through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and closed Sundays and Mondays. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

This white bedroom suite is a real eye-catcher for shoppers. The store is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)