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Keepsake Country

by Carter McCall
John holds his great-grandson, Elijah Wilson, at the antique mall. John raised all of his children in the area, and they, in turn, remained around Berea to raise their own families. “They could call this place ‘Todd town.’ There are so many of our family members around,” he says.

As he drives through the winding roads of rural Madison County, John Todd gestures to the passing dairy farms and rattles off the names of current and past family members who have lived here: brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles. As the car glides through the hills and “hollers,” the 84-year-old handles the curves with ease, conjuring up memories of traveling these same roads on horseback to see the pretty girls at church on Sunday.

John was born in these hills in 1931. His father, a hard-working grocer and farmer, raised John to be the same. To the jobs of farmer and grocer, John added milkman, Berea City Councilman and antique store proprietor. In 1978, he built and opened Todd’s Antique Mall.

“I don’t think I ever had a job I didn’t like,” he says.

A collector by nature – “It’s in my blood,” he says – John triumphs his rare finds and big hauls over the years: amber drinking glasses, oil lamps, pocket knives. Now they hang on walls and sit on shelves, retired from practicality but not from purpose.

Sitting behind the cluttered counter of Todd’s Antique Mall, John speaks excitedly about his grandfather clocks and the booming antique thermometer market. More often, he speaks of family: his wife and personal antique appraiser of 44 years, Mary-Lee, his children and stepchildren who still live close, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are so numerous that they have become hard to count.

The value John places on his family and antiques may seem vintage, but for him it’s more about keeping them close than keeping them current.

John reads the newspaper behind the counter of his store. He starts each work day with a newspaper. “I usually read the obituaries first to see if I know anybody,” he says.
At D&D Auctions in Richmond, John watches workers set up a piece of furniture that’s up for bidding. He is a regular attendee of local auctions.
Mary-Lee Todd, John’s wife of 44 years, examines his haul from an auction. She worked in a grocery store that he owned. “I told everyone I married her because she was a good worker,” says John. Mary-Lee picked up his love for antiques and has helped him run the shop over the years.
During a lull in his day, John takes a seat at the shop counter. He has reduced his workload over the years but continues to focus on activities that keep him engaged. “When you ask people who retired what they do, they usually say ‘nothing.’ I think you've got to stay active,” he says.
When asked about his working years, John examines the lines of his hands. He has worked with his hands for most of his life. At 16, he ran away from home with a friend to take a job as a stovepipe welder. He used a forged birth certificate to prove to his employer he was 18 and old enough to work. “Your papers say you’re 18, but you look mighty young,” John says he was told. He’s been working ever since.
John emerges from the tree line that separates his house from the local hardware shop that restores his antiques. His antique shop, the hardware store and his church are all within walking distance of his home. John says he likes having everything so close, especially his family.
John Todd gathers some antique items from his storage space to take over to his shop. He has collected antique odds-and-ends for more than 30 years. His collection has overflowed from the antique mall into his house and also fills this large storage shed.
John makes the short walk from his home to the antique shop. He sold the shop to his daughter six years ago, but he continues to work two days a week and the store retains his name.