Jill Jones’ passion is taking something old and turning it into something new.

“Some people say, ‘Think outside the box.’ I look at the box and go, ‘What can I do with that box?’” she said.

Jones, the owner of Willow Cove, is looking to expand her passion for restyling old furniture and other items by moving her business downtown. Willow Cove focuses on home decor, especially furnishing, gifts and restyling services. She redoes tables, chairs and other furniture and also makes custom signs.

Some may confuse such items for antiques, but Jones mainly deals with hand-crafted, “up cycled” pieces. Jones has taken old rocking chairs, frames, magazine holders and other items and remade them into something new.

“I’m very into renewing the resources that we have,” she said. “I like taking something and making it new, reusable.”

Jones opened Willow Cove in Oak Park Mall about two years ago, but she’s looking forward to new opportunities downtown.

“I feel like the best place for me is downtown because of the vision downtown has,” she said. “I feel like the downtown is going with that small town, local business-type shopping”

Jones plans to open at 309 N. Main St. — the former Ooh La La! location — by the start of the Austin ArtWorks Festival Aug. 23 and 24, though the opening may be pushed back to early September.

With Vision 2020’s downtown efforts, the Austin ArtWorks Center and other changes, Jones sees downtown as a budding tourist location.

“I belong downtown with the local businesses,” she said.

Moving downtown, Jones would like to bring in more new, hand-crafted items and be a hub for other people to display and sell their handiwork.

“I think there’s a lot of talented people in town,” she said.

Currently, she sells several items on consignment, but she’s not sure if she’s looking to do more consignment work or offer people space in the store.

“Austin needs a store where people can go and shop for local creations,” she said.

Jones does some home decorating, both with color coordinating and helping select items and decorations.

“It’s definitely something I’m hoping to expand,” she said.

She also sells Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint and teaches classes on up-cycling with the paint. She plans to hold classes in the store, through Community Education and across the street from her new location at the Austin ArtWorks Center.

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint is natural paint known for producing an aged, “chippy” look. It’s used in a lot of restoration and craft projects.

“It’s a very artsy paint,” she said.

Jones is an Austin native. She and her husband, Kevin, have four sons and a step-daughter ranging from 13 to 23.

Jones may have some space in her store to rent out to other tenants, especially for more service-based businesses, as office space or as studio space. For more or to contact Jones, check out www.facebook.com/WillowCoveAustinMn.