We are happy to announce that we will be doing a bi-weekly blog about our lovely Antique industry. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy writing it! Special thanks to our writer Beth Chavez!
Old is trendy again!
What is the appeal of an antique store? Is it the rainbow of colored glass displayed in a bright, sunny
window? Is it the smell of old books displayed on a beautiful walnut bookcase? Perhaps it is the vinyl
records that are playing classic songs throughout the store that transports one back to a specific place or
time. For many people, an antique item is a connection to a memory, a place in time. Seeing a set of
Pyrex bowls can instantly spark a memory of Grandma baking Christmas cookies or seeing a wooden
fishing pole can spark a memory of a fishing trip many years ago. Visiting an antique store is a trip down
memory lane, or a step (way) back in time. It is amazing to think that a hundred years ago a wringer
washer, a hand drill, an ice box, or a butter churn was the latest and greatest and now we have items far
superior. Technology has changed significantly in the last 50 years alone.
Nearly all antique stores have multiple dealers that are contributing items to sell under one roof, which
means that you never know what you will find. It is a treasure hunt, where one looks high and low, up
and down the aisles, until something seems to command attention! Antique dealers are deeply
passionate about collecting, and will spend hours at yard sales, flea markets, estate sales, and thrift
stores as well as in-person and on-line auctions, just to find the perfect treasures to put into their booth.
Many dealers often specialize in certain items, and their booth will have a theme such as 50’s
memorabilia, art deco pieces, glassware, farmhouse, or unique furniture pieces.
Did you know that interest in antiques has risen 50% since the pandemic began? Visiting an antique
store allowed people to escape from all the chaos that was happening in the world. Walking into the
store and seeing antique items invoked a warm feeling of peaceful times, which was welcomed in the
uncertainty of the pandemic. Millennials love to shop antique stores for a quirky set of dishes for their
first friends-giving and then serving the dinner on a solid wood table that they found at a great price.
Gone are the days of buying cheap and then throwing away, as this has caused overflowing landfills. The
new trend is to be more environmentally conscious. People are going back to the old ways of re-
purposing an item, giving it new life, instead of throwing it away. Old items are the new trend!
