Lovely County Citizen: Local News: Déjà Vu: Remastering Main Street (08/09/12)

Kenneth Ketelsen opens second business, makes a bet on area's rejuvenation.

In 1996, Kenneth Ketelsen bought his first building on North Main Street. Taking the empty Sears and Roebuck kit house, he converted it into a restaurant and the town's first martini bar, Olive's.

In 2009, he bought a building with a little more provenance -- and parking.

Ketelsen owns one of the oldest buildings in Eureka Springs and in June, opened an antique, art and home decor store on the ground floor of the original house and its additions, which triples the space and frontage.

Déjà Vu Owner Kenneth Ketelsen, left, and store manager Janet Rivera stand on the stairs leading from the historic building section to the addition. One of the building's two original porte cochere posts is visible at left.

Last Saturday, in between greeting customers, he explained why he's putting his money on North Main.

"It's what I look for when I visit other cities," he said. "I want to go off the beaten track and explore.

"And a major factor for us is the parking."

A mix of antique furniture, art and home decor, Déjà Vu brings together old and new items, including lighting and area rugs.

North Main branches off from Spring Street and runs level down to the railroad station, with parking on both sides of the street. The converted Sears and Roebuck house, now leased to Garden Bistro, is in the first block.

In the second block, on the left, is his new business, Deju Vu. According to "Eureka Springs Views," the two-story house was originally the home of the Burkhart family. In the 1890s, it was the site of N.L. Burkhart's company, Eureka Springs Monumental Works, which advertised "monuments and cemetery curbing, markers and cut stone work."

The house later housed artists, and for the first year he owned the property, he leased it to Artifact Gallery, which moved to Spring Street last fall.

Visitors are finding their way to North Main and Déjà Vu. the bronze plaque on the gate, at left, states that the building is in the National Register of Historic Places.

"When the shop became open, I looked at it as an opportunity," Ketelsen said. "I have a passion for antiques and art."

To stock the shop, he drove a truck to New York, retrieved what treasures were left in his family's barn on Long Island, then went on a shopping spree through New England.

When he returned, he hired Janet Rivera as store manager. They spent several months inventorying the 2,000 items Ketelsen had purchased, from antique furniture to collectibles. He chose the name, Déjà Vu, to reflect the store's range.

Janet Rivera, store manager, shows two local residents around the store, which has 2,500 square feet of display space.

"It's going to remind you of a place in time you've been before," Ketelsen said.

Being in the antiques business is déjà vu for Ketelsen, whose mother and aunt were antique dealers -- he used to go with them on weekends when they did antique shows in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

He also worked in the restaurant business. After graduating from Dowling College in New York, he earned a master's degree in social work from Fordham University. He was finishing school when he met Paul Wilson, owner of Ermilio's restaurant, who was visiting New York from Eureka Springs.

One alcove contains collectibles, including dolls, toys and kitchenware.

"I came to visit and fell in love with the town," Ketelsen said.

His first business, the restaurant, was called Sonny's -- the name his grandmother called him -- and the martini bar was named for his dog, Olive, a pug.

Ketelsen helped found the North Main Merchants Association and lobbied at the local and state level to obtain funding to build sidewalks along the street.

Sonny's was the first restaurant in town to participate in an Ozark Guidance program to integrate people with mental health challenges into the workplace. "Cooking, antiques and working with people with mental health challenges are my passions," he said.

Ketelsen works at Déjà Vu on weekends. During the week, he commutes to Rogers, where he is C.E.O. of Piney Ridge, a residential treatment center for youth. He's also working on an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.

Ketelsen has two pickers (antique buyers) working for him, one in New England and one in the local area. He also hired Sondra Torchia, a local tour guide, to help out at the store.

"When I moved here, people were talking about having this building torn down," Torchia said.

Located at 184 North Main, Déjà Vu offers free, off-street parking for customers in front of the store and across the street. It's part of Ketelsen's plan to offer visitors an alternative to the Spring Street squeeze.

His goal: "We want people to pull in, park and feel relaxed," he said.

Déjà Vu is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

For more information, go to www.Déjàvuofeureka.com or call 479-282-8191.