Merchant Finds Niche at Taraval Street Treasure Trove

By Bobby Wilson

It does not take 20-20 vision to see the large piles of "junk" that are sporadically spread throughout George Tabak's store, The Attic.

When you enter through the front door a trail winds through the mountain range of junk piled from the floor to the stucco ceiling.

Do not be surprised if you see Miss Piggy from the Muppets taking a load off her shoulders on the shelf behind the counter. And it's possible the Pink Panther might be hanging out in the "Beer Room" with all the beer cans and bottles from various time periods and different parts of the world.

If you're interested in catching up on the news from the '60s and '70s, feel free to pick up an issue of "Life Magazine" or "The New Yorker."

From every angle of the store dolls made of plastic and metal poke you in the eyes. There are symbols of pop culture like Cabbage Patch Dolls and Raggedy Ann.

"The dolls almost talk to me. And I'm not a silly man," Tabak says laughing. "They say 'take care of me and treasure me.'"

Tabak has successfully made a living selling junk for the past 31 years. He opened his store in 1968 because he wanted to preserve old dolls and toys for the next generation. Tabak is a refugee from Hungary. To follow in his family's tradition of entrepreneurialship he quit a thriving job. Owning and operating The Attic requires Tabak to work long, hard hours.

The building is orange. The business' sign is broken and hangs by a nail. There are three sayings painted on the windows in large cursive letters. They read: "Antiques are a part of human history," "One man's junk is another man's gem" and "It's fun to search and a pleasure to find."

A sign taped to the window reads: "Warning: Antique pox. Extremely contagious to all ages. Symptoms - continual complaint as to need for fresh air, sunshine and relaxation. Patient has blank expression, sometimes deaf to mate and kids. Has no taste for work of any kind. Frequent checking of antique periodicals. Hangs out in all sorts of odd places. Makes secret phone calls. Mumbles to self."

Tabak finds a lot of character in old things. He believes you should not just throw anything away, because if you do, someone will come looking for it tomorrow.

"If all these old things could talk they would tell you a lot of stories," Tabak says. "Each time an item breaks, it's one less in the whole world. And don't forget the famous phrase, 'A rich man's junk is a poor man's treasure.'"

Customers who frequent The Attic come in for different reasons. Many are long-time patrons who share Tabak's passion for old collectibles. The store's peculiar presence attracts other shoppers off the street. It's possible for a person to spend hours in the store sifting through the items for sale. It's a store with items from A - Z; it's a curiosity shop and a free museum that is open to all.

Tabak fled Hungary as a refugee and came to America in 1967 at the age of 21. He arrived without a penny in his pocket. He is by trade a toolmaker, which requires certain levels of verbal communication with other people. As a newcomer he barely spoke English, so he did odd jobs, such as selling shoes. He eventually learned English and obtained a job as a toolmaker.

On weekends he went to flea markets, garage sales and junk stores searching for items. He was intrigued by toys, especially dolls advanced in years. It was always an adventure. His garage became stuffed to maximum capacity. Many people would call these knick knacks junk, but Tabak considered them treasures.

Tabak decided in 1968 that he wanted to sell junk part-time. He named his business The Attic and opened it on Lincoln Way. It was only nine-by-12-feet in size and the rent was $75 a month.

Tabak went into business for himself, full-time, 31 years ago. He has been at the same location on Taraval Street since 1970.

Tabak recalls a few sleepless nights when he first opened the business. His wife was skeptical about his decision, but he convinced her he could do it.

"I never throw away anything. That doesn't mean that I'm a pack rat," Tabak says. "Almost everything is reusable."