When Esther Glick of Manheim Township entered the antiques business 24 years ago, she started from scratch and learned as she went. Glick had no previous experience with antiquing but decided that it would define the beginning of a new chapter in her life. "For me it's really rewarding," Glick said. "I love the thrill of the hunt. I love seeing things get repurposed."

Glick described the antiques business as her third career. Her first career was painting, and she and her husband operated their own business. Glick then made a career for herself in real estate for many years before embarking on a new journey. "I was at a point in my life where I needed to make a change," Glick said.

On the cusp of this large change in her life, Glick's counselor gave her an assignment: Find something to do that was strictly for herself and that she enjoyed. One day, while driving, she spotted an auction sign and memories began to flood back to her of frequenting auctions when she was younger and how much she had enjoyed it. Glick made up her mind instantly; she began setting up at markets and scouring auctions for items. Soon after, Glick found a property for rent near Strasburg, and her business and collection evolved into what is now Antique Village of Strasburg, located at 227 Hartman Bridge Road, Ronks.

Antique Village of Strasburg comprises three buildings, each packed from wall to wall with vintage items and antiques. Glick works with over 40 dealers to acquire items and employs her own tried-and-true methods for hunting down valuables. While most people in the business find their items at thrift stores and yard sales, Glick said if she's not running the counter at her store, you can find her combing through items at an auction. "For me it's the best and most authentic way," Glick said. "It's suitable for some people to go to thrift stores, but it's just not my way."

When Glick first opened Antique Village of Strasburg, there was only one other antique store in the area. Today, Strasburg is populated with different markets and storefronts that sell antiques, and the way many people conduct their business has changed. The advent of social media means many people are more prone to finding antiques on the internet, but Glick believes there's a reason that physical antique stores haven't fallen by the wayside. "The game has changed a bit, but I think in the antique world, the real success is having a home base," Glick said.

Glick has hired more help for her business in recent years but has no plan to quit the antiques game anytime soon. "It's more rewarding than I ever thought it would be," Glick said. "I'm still in love with it after 24 years."