This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

The Avid Antiquer

This Week: Sound Investment Antiques & Collectibles

For some people a hobby is just a hobby. For others a hobby becomes a passion, which leads to a business venture. That was the case for Ed Motl, who has owned Sayville's Sound Investment Antiques and Collectibles with his wife, Judi, for 16 years.

"We've always been into antiques. We would take trips upstate, to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Our three kids grew up with it and now are three grandchildren are growing up with it also," he said.

The Motl's store specializes in vintage radios and phonographs, which they not only sell and buy but repair as well. The store is a mix of the two owners – masculine but still female friendly and feminine without being frilly. They sell  primitive and country furniture along with a few Victorian pieces.  Shoppers can also find old telephone tube amplifiers, depression glass, china, old board games, tin lunch boxes, clocks, civil war items, pocket watches, ash trays, brass belt buckles, railroad memorabilia, advertising items including beer products, cameras, automobile parts, 1930-1950's kitchen ware and gadgets and many other items.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Motl was a part time resident of Sayville when he was a boy. "I grew up here in the summers in the 1940's and early 1950's," he said.

He and his wife moved here 40 years ago and the purchase of their craftsman style home was the impetus for buying antiques. "When we bought our old house in Sayville, we needed old furniture because we wanted to decorate it in the period of the house," Motl said.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The interaction with customers is something Motl enjoys. "The best part about the store is talking to other collectors and the customers. It beats the Internet. And right now the economy is the worst part. It is the first time we have ever seen it like this," he said.

When the couple opened the store in 1994, Motl was employed full time. "I worked in electronics, and when my job was globalized, we thought we should have something to fall back. So I worked full time and then worked here part time, like weekends and holidays and by appointment."

He said they still get antiques from their road trips and they also get them from tag sales, auctions and consignments. Motl also said he and his wife have their own collections as well. "My wife collects everything but one of her favorite collections is a plate set by Royal Doulton called 'A Widow and Her Friends'. I like oil lamps. We are still avid collectors," he said.

Sound Investment Antiques and Collectibles is located at 8 Gillette Avenue. It is open Wednesday through Saturday from 1 - 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-487-2344.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?