'Antique Lady' Lois Spencer Not Afraid to Speak her Mind

One of the first things you notice when meeting Lois Spencer is she’s not afraid to speak her mind. 

The 81-year-old owner of Antiques and Collectibles is what you would call a straight shooter, offering her opinion on any number of topics and not pulling any punches while doing so. 

And when it comes to the history of downtown Safety Harbor, she’s got plenty to say, since she’s owned a business here for nearly 20 years and contributed to the community for more than three decades.

“I’ve been here (in the shop) since 1994 and lived here since 1980,” she says. “I’ve seen a lot of things come and go, and I’m still here.” 

That longevity combined with her willingness to contribute to the community has helped make Spencer a living legend in the town she loves. 

Libraries, Festivals and Mrs. Claus 

Growing up in Idaho, Spencer says she “can’t remember a time she wasn’t in a library,” an upbringing that led her to become a university librarian later on. 

In fact, her love of the library drew her to Safety Harbor, where she immediately helped create events such as the summer and winter Kiwanis club art shows and the seafood festival. 

She even became a member of the Friends of Library despite her aversion to joining groups. 

“Joe and I have never been joiners,” she says of herself and her beloved 87-year-old husband, who owns the adjoining metal working shop. “Whenever we wanted to do something, we just did it.” 

“Other people have tried to run festivals, but we just ran them,” she explains. “Now you can stand on a corner and spit in any direction and hit one.” 

In addition to organizing events and helping out with others, Spencer wasn’t afraid to going out of her way to make people happy, as evidenced by her regular appearance as Mrs. Claus in the annual Kiwanis Christmas festival. 

“Kids don’t mess with Mrs. Claus,” she says, adding that children today are known to mock costumed characters. “And I’ve always objected to people paying for pictures with Santa Claus.” 

Want an Opinion on Downtown Safety Harbor? Lois Has One 

You can’t meet with Lois and not get her opinions on all the changes she’s seen in the downtown district over the years. 

Somewhat surprisingly, though, Spencer is not opposed to all the recent development in the area. 

In fact, she believes city officials have helped strike a good balance between modernizing the area while retaining a small-town feel. 

“We’ve watched a lot of development and we’re thrilled with how the town has turned out,” she says. “They pay attention to kids and family, and they know how important those things are to this community.” 

“I think the city government has done a superb job,” she adds. “They have maintained all the advantages of an urban area, and all the advantages of a rural area.”

Spencer believes adding more businesses, including antique shops, will help the downtown become more of a destination place, and she doesn't have any plans to leave the burgeoning scene.

“People call me the antique lady, because that’s what I am and that’s what I sell,” she jokes. “But Joe and I aren’t going anywhere yet. We’re just putzing around, having a good time.”

Antiques and Collectibles

Address: 505 Main St.

Phone: 727-725-1562

Hours: Tue - Sat, 11am - 4pm; Sun, Mon, closed