A new antiques business in Suffolk offers thousands of vintage goods in a beautiful, restored building on Carolina Road.

Owner Susan Eason cut the ribbon on her Refined Relics Antique & Salvage store at 713 Carolina Road on July 26. She was joined by friends and family, as well as Suffolk Vice Mayor Leroy Bennett and Councilman Curtis Milteer Sr.

Susan Eason and her husband, Rock Eason, are both retired Virginia Beach police officers and Whaleyville residents. The building had caught her eye as she drove past it going toward downtown Suffolk, but it was in need of renovations.

They performed these renovations utilizing the Suffolk EDA Façade Improvement Program. Windows were replaced, and the building’s exterior was stripped of aluminum that hid the original Craftsman details.

She chose fresh red, gold and black paint because these heritage colors were consistent with Craftsman homes of that era, she said.

“I commend you for the job well done that you did with the building,” Bennett said at the ceremony as cars sped down Carolina Road. “It’s beautiful, (and) you’re on the right corridor. You have a lot of traffic, and I’m sure you’ll have a lot of walk ins and people coming in to see.”

Inside people will find restored furniture, vintage lawn and garden items, classic kitchen décor items, linens and household decorations and more.

Several other antiques vendors also have items for sale on the property, and there are newly made pillows, candles, soaps and other things that make great gifts.

Bennett remarked on how interesting it was to walk through this sizable collection of yesteryear, with old sewing machines, paintings and other preserved relics. He said he was proud to see talented people preserving these valuable belongings and the memories attached to them.

“I think you all have done a great job of preserving a lot of that, and we’re so happy that you chose to stay in Suffolk,” he said.

There are plans for vintage markets and fairs at the location, and to “upcycle” and repurpose more things now that the business is up and running, Eason said.

“I want to expand the repurposing and the salvage side of it, and try to not have as much stuff go into the trash,” she said.

There’s no shortage of stuff to do for Eason at her new establishment. The large collection provides plenty of inspiration for future repurposing projects, she said, and every region has its own characteristics when it comes to its artifacts.

“Different regions have different antiques,” she said. “When you go places, you’ll see things that are more predominant in certain areas. It is neat to be able to bring some of that stuff and kind of pull it all together.”

Refined Relics Antique & Salvage is located at 713 Carolina Road. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The store is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Visit facebook.com/refinedrelicsllc or the “refinedrelicsllc” Instagram page for more information.