MT. ZION, Ill. (WCIA) – The Sunk’n Trunk opened about a month ago, but looking around the store, it’s already full of antiques and collectors items. Which is why the family wanted to start the store.
“We’ve been collecting for a lot of years, and we’ve always wanted to open our own family business and this combined all of our hobbies into one,” Jenifer Neill, co-owner, said.
The Neill family is filled with treasure hunters.
“We have a bunch of cool things here, from our hand-painted furniture to some of our collectibles, like our Elvis, that we have here. Everything from Italian, shoes we’ve collected over the years, to tons of Halloween costumes that we’ve gotten in,” Eric Neill, co-owner, said.
They’ve spent several years traveling to different thrift and antique stores, collecting.
“My wife, when she was a little girl, her mom used to take her thrift store shopping. It was always a cool little treasure hunt. They would try to find and get something that was great out there and that’s how it kind of started. We started yard sailing, going to thrift stores and doing the same thing,” he said.
Finding little treasures they just had to pick up.
“Obviously, with anyone who collects, they start running out of room. So, we figured we would actually open a thrift shop and pass some of those treasures along to the community. Plus, it gives us the chance to keep collecting,” he said.
Passing along the treasures they’ve found to other hunters in our town, Mt. Zion.
“It’s great. I mean especially if you’re into a certain thing. I know there’s a lot of people who collect certain items and sometimes it’s really hard to find and that’s the great thing about it, is you get to go out there and it’s the excitement. It’s the treasure hunt,” he said.
And bringing something new to the area with the Sunk’n Trunk
“It’s been great. People are really happy to see us here. I don’t there’s a lot of, or any, thrift stores in Mt. Zion right now. And we’re not just a thrift store. I mean, we’re kind of antiques, collectibles and other things too, but people have been very happy to see us here,” she said.
The Sunk’n Trunk is located at 130 Casa Park Drive in Mt. Zion. Right next to the Subway.
They have different discounts every day for a different group of people. You can find more on their Facebook page here.