Tom Patterson believes people in the antiques business should be honest.
This fall, however, the person that Patterson had to be honest with wasn t a customer. It was himself.
And the truth Patterson had to confront was that his business, Dance Hall Antiques, could no longer survive due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Sunday, the shop welcomed its last customers after more than 25 years in business, the last seven at 35 Market St. in downtown Auburn.
Patterson, 72, told The Citizen on Tuesday that before the pandemic he wasn t planning on retiring anytime soon. His business partner, Dale Ross, passed away five years ago, but Patterson continued to run the shop by himself afterward. Or at least he did until Sunday, March 15, the last day it was open before having to close due to New York s COVID-19 guidance. It didn t reopen until November.