Thomas Wolfe once said, You cant go home again, but then again he never met Amelia Jeffers. Auctioneer, magazine publisher, realtor, and former co-owner of Garths Auctions, Jeffers recently announced she is returning to her roots and will be hosting auctions back home at The Barn at Stratford, the former Garths barn, in Delaware, Ohio. Tentatively, my first auction there will be in September, but we have firmly committed to an Americana sale on Saturday, Nov. 19, stated Jeffers. This newest venture, dubbed Auctions at The Barn by Jeffers, is as much a welcome surprise to her as it is to the antiques industry. After the JoAnn Coffee Americana Auction in June, I was approached by several collectors who asked if I could sell their collections with the caveat that theyd like to have their items sold by me in a venue, rather than online-only, explained Jeffers. On a whim, I called the Delaware Historical Society, who now owns the Meeker Homestead (the former Garths property). Their incredible enthusiasm for my interest in bringing auctions back to the barn was unexpected and stirred up a lot of emotion for me. It is just what I needed to motivate me to jump back into the auction business with determination. Founded in the 1950s by Garth Oberlander and later run by Tom and Caroline Porter, Garths Auctions not only became known as the premier auction house in Ohio for selling early Americana, it is where Jeffers spent 21 years of her life continuing the tradition before stepping away from the company in 2017. So much education, passion, trust, and business acumen were cultivated in me within that barn, by the Porters and so many others. The Garths barn and property is where my children were raised, where longstanding friendships were born, and where some of the finest pieces of Americana found new owners, continued Jeffers. Jeffers sentiment sheds light on the business name under which her auctions are being conducted, Cultivate Collectors Services. The barns $1 million-plus restoration is phenomenal, and I cant wait for collectors to see the transformation. Im thrilled to be at the podium again, surrounded by lovely things and even lovelier people. This is what the barn is known for, was meant for, and I am so thankful to be back at it. Being an auctioneer is my passion, and being able to return to The Barn at Stratford to do just that? I guess you can go home, again! concluded Jeffers. For further information, call 740-815-7016 or visit www.auctionsatthebarn.com. To learn more about Amelia Jeffers and see a sneak peek at The Barn at Stratfords renovation, visit www.ameliajeffers.com/about and www.barnatstratford.org.