Two businesswomen teamed up to create something special in Tamaqua.

After a long process, and many challenges due to the pandemic, Melinda Curnow and Jody Kellner have opened 5 Points Mill in downtown Tamaqua.

Curnow is the owner of Studio 895 in New Ringgold, and Kellner owns Tink’s in Tamaqua.

Some might view them as competitors, but their specialties are such a niche that they’ve helped each other out over the years.

“We were looking for a billboard to advertise the two of us together because we complement each other - we’re 15 minutes apart and we do a lot of marketing together,” Kellner said. “If people come to my store, I tell them about her store and she does the same.”

Dave Liss is the former owner of Studio 895. Curnow was a frequent shopper who loved the store and later became business partners with Liss. They met Kellner when she became a vendor at the studio.

“We had an old store which is 5 miles from where my “now” store is,” Curnow said.

“Dave was a business partner, he started it. It was a small, a 1,500-square-feet venue. He was there, and I shopped there and loved it. I just said hey do you need some help, and long story short, I worked a few hours for him.

“I was going to branch off and start doing this and be a vendor in different stores - so I wasn’t going to work there anymore. When I told him that, he informed me that his cancer came back. He only had so much time to live; not a lot. Anyway, my first response was, how about I buy it? So I did.”

Kellner’s business, Tink’s, has been in Tamaqua since 1974. Her parents opened the business on Pine Street when she was 6 years old.

“Because I grew up, on the weekends, we cleaned out estates together,” Kellner said. “Or I would go with my father to do a ‘pick.’ He would call it an antique ‘call.’ I would go with him and he would say don’t say anything, listen to what I say. That’s where I learned how to do it.”

The duo still do the brunt of the “dirty” work. The grit and grind never stops in the business.

“We pick garbage, auctions, dumpsters,” Kellner said. “People come to her store or mine, walk in and say I’m cleaning out a barn or a garage, do you want any of these items?”

The 5 Points Mill had its first pop-up store last week.

“We kind of set goals and anticipated things,” Curnow said. “We thought for sure because we both have a decent following, we thought it was going to be good. It was awesome to get the response that we got. Everybody was excited that something was happening here in the building.”

If you haven’t peeked through the gigantic glass windows at the 5 Points, the venue has breathtaking high ceilings and a beautiful big brick wall which brings out a ton of character to the business that offers antiques and vintage items.

“We have random vendors that sell jewelry, ceramic Christmas trees, primitive stuff. … But we’re going to be changing vendors too,” Kellner said.

“Every time you come in here, it’s going to be a different experience. The store will look different and different items will be here. It will be like walking into a brand-new store.”

Trevor and Todd Miller of TKT Partners Inc. own the property. Trevor said the venue was vacant when they bought it in 1999. A handful of businesses have called the venue home throughout the years. However, it’s been vacant for 3 and a half years. “I’ve been looking for the right renters, and they are definitely it,” Trevor Miller said. “I’d rather it be vacant than have a bad tenant.”

It didn’t take much convincing from Kellner to reassure her new business partner that the location was perfect.

“I always knew of this building,” Kellner said. “I grew up in Tamaqua. I’ve never moved out. I’ve been here 52 years. I always loved this building. We call it the point of the 5 points. … I kept sending her pictures of the building and finally she came and looked. I think the minute she stepped in, she was sold.

“Everyone loves the building. Then if you’re a local, it’s what a wonderful thing that there’s a storefront in here and more retail in Tamaqua, which is one of my goals; trying to create more retail and bring more visitors to Tamaqua. … They were so happy that we did that.”

The event dates for the rest of the year are Nov. 27-29, Dec. 5 and Dec. 11-13.

Hours are Fridays 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment only.