An old warehouse at 203 E. Laura St. has gotten some much-needed renovations, thanks to Mike Williams.
The 1,700- square-foot space will now be Big Mike’s Auctions. The business moved recently from its location at Knights Station Road in Lakeland to Plant City.
Williams, born and raised in Plant City, remembers attending auctions in the building in the 1980s. Now he’ll get a chance to relive those memories, this time on the other end of the business.
Through his 18 years in the industry, he’s learned one thing for certain.
“Somebody’s trash is truly someone else’s treasure,” Williams said.
He’s sold everything — tools, animal heads, tractors, cars and even a solid copper and brass vintage diving helmet, which pulled in a $650 bid.
But one thing that sets Big Mike’s Auction apart is where he gets his merchandise. In addition to consignment items, he also has contracts with major department stores and the Home Shopping Network. Returns that do not work he puts in a discounted pile with a disclaimer. Many people sift through the items to find that they are easily repairable.
“You’ll get addicted — that’s the best way to put it,” Williams said. “We get enough stuff to make women happy from the Home Shopping Network and enough tools for men. Consignment is an extra plus.”
The building is just about done for the first auction, which is scheduled Aug. 2. Williams has invested about $40,000 since January to redo the floors, update the kitchen for concessions, make it handicap accessible and paint the entire structure. They also added some antiques for decor including wagon wheels, vintage signs and cow skulls. The city was a huge help in guiding him.
“I just have to thank the city,” Williams said. “All I had to do is ask and they told me what I needed to do. It was really just bringing it up to code.”
And antiques aren’t just adorning the walls. Every two months, Big Mike’s Auction will host an antique sale. There also will be sales every Saturday, with about 1,000 to 1,200 lots per sale.
Big Mike’s Auction is accepting consignments from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, or by appointment. Commission ranges from 24% to 50%.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
Big Mike’s Auction
ADDRESS: 203 E. Laura St.
PHONE: (863) 738-3012
EMAIL: BigMikesAuction@aol.com
UPCOMING AUCTION
The first auction will be Aug. 2. Auctions will take place every Saturday. Visit Big Mike’s Auction’s Facebook page for updates.
