Ruthie B's moves to bigger spot with all the old charm.

Byline: RETAIL NOTEBOOK By Joe Mosley The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Christmas has always been a time to take things over the top at Ruthie B's Antiques and tea house.

The antiques and eclectic collection of whatnots take on a seasonal bent; lunches and "high teas" are flavored for the holidays; even the dress-up costumes have "yuletide" embroidered all over them.

Imagine the celebration this year.

The one-of-a-kind shop, which peddles as much amusement as merchandise, has changed venues.

Its former home at the west end of Main Street - a retrofitted house so packed with trinkets and tea tables that it had been described as a rabbit warren - has closed.

The store, owned by Ruth Ballenger, moved this month to the historic Odd Fellows building at Fourth and Main. It's only a few blocks from the old location, but a world away in terms of both space and amenities.

"We've kind of taken it back to an old department store feel, with black-and-white floors," says Susan Olson, who has worked at the antique shop for nine years. "With all of our vintage (merchandise) in here, it just looks wonderful.

"And we've almost doubled the floor space. There was a lot of stuff in storage that we didn't have at the other place, so we have more things, as well."

The new store at 342 Main St., includes about 7,000 square feet of space and is owned by the Odd Fellows Springfield Lodge No. 70, which occupies the building's second floor.

The building most recently was occupied by a Goodwill Industries secondhand store, once served as Springfield's City Hall and did a stint as a real department store.

The Odd Fellows, which is leasing the ground-floor space to Ruthie B's, contributed to a renovation of the storefront by paying for the new flooring and a new heating system. The new tenant paid to build a kitchen, and for fixtures and decorations.

"Right now, we're set up for Christmas. And it just looks like a 1940s Christmas party in here," Olson says.

Next door is Econo Sales, a popular fabric and upholstery outlet. Olson says the two businesses make for "a nice marriage" because of the antique store's inventory of old furniture and the fabric store's selection of upholstery.

Ruthie B's merchandise ranges from a $1.95 Christmas ornament to an antique French curio cabinet at $1,700.

As for the menu, lunches and teas are available through the day and run from $3 for a cup of soup to an $18 high tea that includes a huge selection of teas along with scones, clotted cream and all the other appropriate trimmings.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Retail Notebook runs on Thursdays. Joe Mosley can be reached at 338-2384 or [e-mail].