What began as a dream became a reality in the heart of downtown Covington, Indiana. There exists a quaint antique shop called Glorie Bee Antiques.

For those of you who love antiques and appreciate the knowledge that goes with them, head towards Glorie Bee Antiques. For those of you who use GPS, plug this in: 314 Liberty St., Covington, IN 47932. For those Renaissance types-like me- let’s use these directions:

• Take I-74 toward Danville, crossing over into Indiana.
• Take IN-63 exit (Exit #4) towards Terre Haute/Newport
• Turn left on north State Road
• Take the US-136 ramp toward Covington
• Turn right onto U.S. 136 E. Continue to follow this.
• Turn right onto Third St./U.S.-136 E.
• Turn left onto Liberty St. and number 314 Liberty St. is on the right. (Directions courtesy of mapquest.com)

Glorie Bee Antiques is the culmination of a desire and pleasure in creating a beautiful and peaceful place where the clientele can enjoy and find pieces that fit their style and desires. This includes artwork, china, pottery, estate jewelry, silver, period furniture, as well as garden art (by area artisans) and much more.
Gloria Llewellyn, a retired school teacher, was always an antique’s dealer.

“I was nine years old when I got my first set of Depression glass,” she said from her shop.

When one thinks of an antique shop, they conjure up images of museum-like displays and merchandising. Not-so in Glorie Bee.
It’s more of a destination.

In the first two rooms there are antiques artfully displayed. The last room is lively and fun garden art, and the very last part is through the outside door to the gardens where more art is displayed and flowers bloom in every nook and cranny. There are places to sit and reflect.

“I chose pieces well, rather than often,” she said of her high-quality pieces. “I pass on the good price. I have found in nine years that I have to know my products, and then I teach about them to others.”
Dan and Gloria Llewellyn brought to life a 1200 square foot turn of the century building on the Covington Square.

“Dan is a brick layer. He loves restoration,” she said of her husband that she married in 1998. “I always loved antiques and had always wanted a shop. One day I said, ‘Danny, there’s a “For Sale” sign on this shop.’”

They made an offer at breakfast and at lunch they shook hands on the deal to purchase the quaint old building. It had once been a meat market, a bakery, a restaurant and a dry cleaners.
But soon, with the efforts of Dan and Gloria, it was completed in 2006. And since Gloria has been a collector since she was a young girl, she’s quite knowledgeable in the art of antiquing. People seek her out to get information and facts about antiques and collecting.

Gloria’s passion is to share her spirit, not only in each piece selected for the shop, but in creation for a garden-art and flower-filled courtyard. “My purpose is to meet the customers’ needs with kindness and information- and quality pieces,” she said.

And even though she’s quite the expert on antiques, she doesn’t have a heavy-handed attitude about collecting. She just wants people to enjoy the pure art of antiquing. “If you love something, it will work,” she said. “That’s the only rule.”

Plan a trip to Covington and Glorie Bee Antiques at 314 Liberty Street, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST). For information, call 765-793-0688 or email gloriebee@att.net.