SILVERHILL, Ala. — Silverhill Antiques and Furniture LLC is open again just across from Town Hall in Silverhill.

That’s good news for antique lovers and folks who just want to find something different and unusual for their home or to give as a gift.

“We reopened Aug. 27,” said Elosie Head, the store’s owner. Head had closed the store in November 2008, after her husband, Dalton, a former insurance field supervisor, died in September of that year.

“I don’t know why I reopened,” said Head, “I just knew that I had to get on with life.”

Head’s loyal customers also played their part in getting her to reopen the store, which occupies the former offices of the First State Bank of Silverhill.

“I kept running into customers who wanted to know when I ‘d open the store,” said Head.

While the store is “basically, the same operation,” the store now boasts, “entirely different inventory,” Head says, explaining that the store’s old inventory had been sold.

“We’ve always had a good business here,” said head. “And I don’t have a particular period that I specialize in. I buy what catches my eye.”

Head said that the store carries antiques, “from 1700 on up,” and the store does have some new things and furniture as well.

The new store boasts a wide variety of attractive items, from artwork to large pieces of furniture, and in just about every style imaginable. Need a leopard-print chair? Something a little more traditional? Head has it. Want some unusual china or a lamp? No problem.

Head selects all the goods for her store herself, trolling yard and estate sales for attractive and useful items for her shop and the large collection of antiques she has at home.

She did find that one seller had made a big mistake.

“There’s one painting I have,” said Head, “that the people selling it took it out of its frame.”

It turned out that the frame was worth money, but the painting, by an artist Head declined to name, was worth much more.

“I really can’t say more,” she said,” but it’s worth quite a bit of money.”

Head and her husband began collecting antiques in Florida, when they were living on a boat. They later moved to the area and the collection of antiques was growing, so Head says that her husband told her, “to buy a barn.”

Instead, Head obtained the store, and set up shop. She quickly saw differences between here and Florida.

“This area is more formal than Florida,” Head said.

And will she stop collecting and selling?

“Part of my love (for antiques) is here. They are more substantial than many modern pieces.”