CORTEZ, FL — After 25 years, The Sea Hagg Nauticals, Antiques and Curiosities in Cortez closed its doors for good earlier this month.
Now, the antique shop’s remaining items will be available through an online auction that closes Thursday at noon. The auction is run by Sarasota’s Freedom Auction Company.
Those interested in bidding on these items can view them in person one last time at The Sea Hagg at 12304 Cortez Road on Wednesday.
The unique shop was founded by Jan Holman, an Ohio native, in the late 1990s. She’d long had a passion for the maritime before opening the shop in Cortez, a historic fishing village.
Prior to this, her travels took her “from Lake Erie where she crossed Ohio to the Ohio River and traveled down to the mighty Mississippi at Missouri,” according to the shop’s website. “From there she traveled down the Mississippi to Louisiana and finally made her way to the sun-drenched coastal beauty of Florida.”
The Sea Hagg wrote in a Facebook post, “Jan had a creative vision 25 years ago and stayed focused on nautical décor, antiques and salvage the entire time. It just kept getting better. This is a testament for all of us to live into our creative dreams.”
After opening, she set a goal to retire from operating a retail shop after 25 years, the business added.
The property, which has been on the market, sold and will have new owners, according to a Facebook post.
The Sea Hagg will continue to operate an online shop and will host seasonal sales events.
Holman will also continue to offer design services for homes, resorts and restaurants.
As the brick-and-mortar shop closes, there has been “lots of mixed emotions,” the business shared on Facebook.
“(Holman) has really enjoyed being a special part of family traditions and vacation adventures all these years,” the business wrote in a post. “We all agree it is sad to say good-bye to this treasure. But the spirit of the Sea Hagg continues, showing up in restaurants, homes and gardens.”
