The owners of Treasures Antiques in downtown Craig are calling it quits.

The little shop at 584 Yampa Ave., which has featured antique

glassware, cowboy items, dolls, furniture and jewelry for 12 years,

will likely be closed by the end of March.

Mickee Mackin, who runs the shop with her partners, Sherri Fredrickson and Carolyn Markle, said the tight economy has caught up with them.

“We can no longer afford to pay our rent,” Mackin said. “Business has been real slow since 9-11. People are real scared right now and not spending.”

But the partners said they started the business more than a decade ago for fun, and they want to keep that fun going until the end.

Mackin said she thinks their store and many other antique stores have been impacted by a new online buying trend.

“The town has been supportive but all of a sudden it seems Ebay has taken over,” she said. “At one time this town had five antique stores, and we’re the last to close.”

Mackin said it was time.

“We just didn’t foresee ourselves being able to make it another year,” she said. “We’ve had meeting after meeting to figure out how to do it. But if you find yourself digging a hole it’s best to jump out.”

Partner Sherri Fredrickson hated to say good-bye to the business.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Fredrickson said. “I feel really bad about it.”

Josh Nichols can be reached at 824-7031 or jnichols@craigdailypress.com.