"When we started, it was just me. I did artwork on furniture and did murals and paintings," said Elizabeth Proctor, owner of the Katy-based shop.
It was not until her husband, co-owner Harry Proctor, retired from the oil and gas industry in 2009 that they introduced poster and art restoration as another facet of their business. As their services expanded, so did the model of their shop.
What started as a small, single-room business that displayed art works and antiques now includes a middle section for vendors, and a large back room that contains an array of posters, vinyl and even more antique relics.
"We've been married 40-plus years,” Harry said, “Before we were even married, we'd fantasized about having an antique shop."
Elizabeth said people would be surprised at the number of teenagers that come in after school, wanting to listen to older records and check out the artworks displayed.
What Elizabeth said she finds especially powerful in what Limited Edition Art & Antiques does is their restoration of old historical relics, such as World War I and World War II posters. Many of them arrive in bad shape and have stains or holes, desperately needing to be restored, Elizabeth said.
"In the case of these war posters, you're restoring history," said Harry.
Limited Edition Art & Antiques enjoys consistent customer traffic due to there being something for everyone. Harry said the rate at which Katy is growing has helped a lot, too.
"When you walk into an antique shop, you don't want to feel like you don't belong there,” Harry said. “Providing an appeal for every person, no matter their budget, is important."
Having operated for nearly 30 years means the business has gone through its fair share of challenges. Like many businesses, Limited Edition Art & Antiques was affected by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. Although Elizabeth and Harry's shop was only flooded for a few hours, it was enough to cause damage to the interior of their store and to their inventory.
"We had to replace floors and walls, but we were back up and running in about a month thanks to help from our friends and volunteers," Harry said.
Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Limited Edition Art & Antiques had to close their doors. However, Harry said the business was able to thrive thanks to online sales. Harry said his advice for other business owners in Katy is to engage with the community and stay plugged in to maintain longevity.
"Support each other, volunteer for special events," he said. "Downtown Katy is a small town, our collective success depends on supporting each other and participating to bring new customers into the downtown square."
Limited Edition Art & Antiques
5717 2nd St., Katy, TX 77493
281-391-1993
http://limitededitionartandantiques.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m.
Shop offerings
In addition to selling art and antiques, Limited Edition Art & Antiques offers various services to patrons.
- Framing
- Linen Backing
- Poster restoration
- Art restoration
