Traveling & Antique Collecting, On the Road Hunting
06.22.07By The DeanDo you have a vacation, business or casual trip planned? Have you ever combined a stop or two for antique hunting on these trips? As avid collectors and sellers, wifey and I always include “hunting” special items for our collections, decorating, or that rare item to sell whenever we travel. Limited by airline weight restrictions on luggage or the expense of shipping items home, we tend to purchase only smaller items when traveling by air.
That leaves trips by car as the preferable way to go, and to shop along the way. Bloggers Derek and Deanna also of Collectors Quest have described some recent trips along less traveled roads in Wisconsin and a reading of their articles in the archives, might inspire your own quest.
If you’re traveling to your destination on the “I” System, you will have plenty of antique malls to choose from along the way. Most are located at the exits and often advertised on billboards before their off ramp. Most of these establishments are multi-dealer buildings. Some are well established, and contain great items, others have lapsed into selling beanie babies and reproductions. You takes your chances when you turn on your blinker light to exit.
Being with wifey, an over obsessive “Hunter”, I have learned a few tricks to use when traveling. First is the Old Road trick. Find the route your grandparents drove on their trips across the country or down to Florida. Most “I” system’s roads parallel those old routes, ( I-24, I-75 & US-41 The Dixie Highway), and take you through a great many towns containing individually run stores. We like to find this type of store, for if the items are interesting an owner will often reduce the cost based on the volume of items lined up at his or her check-out counter. If you spend too much time at one of these locations, it’s easy to climb back on the interstate to make up lost time.
Another tip you should already know, almost every mall and many stores have a rack near the entrance with fliers from other shops in the area. Checking these out can direct you to your next destination.
Now my secret. When planning a trip, I write ahead – What?
I map the route we will drive, find a city near where I would expect to stay, or drive to the next morning, say by 10:00 am, and check the web for an antique store in that area.
Then I sent an old fashioned letter by US Mail. Here is a copy:
Dear Owner / Store Manager,
I will be in your area for business meetings in the near future, and normally have time to indulge in my favorite pastime after the conclusion of my visits. I will again stop at your store, but before I travel, I would ask a favor of you, to help me prepare for antique hunting during my stay.
I have enclosed a self-addressed, stamped envelope and request you forward any store addresses that you are aware of in your vicinity, so I can take advantage of my time in your area. Many of my favorite local haunts have a rack of fliers from other nearby places or antique-ing papers and I think you might have one at your place. You could just write down on paper your favorite mall or some obscure little shop you have discovered in your area. If added postage or shipping charges are incurred, I will gladly forward a reimbursement.
We recently purchased a 1930’s home and are in the process of restoring some of the rooms to that period. One room will be done in Deco style, and another in Victorian. That has increased my needs to include depression era dishes, period light fixtures, door and cabinet hardware and home furnishings.
I also collect several different types of item, things with industrial names, photos, and metal objects.
So my hunt continues.
Please include your email and/or web site if available. I will be grateful for your help, and look forward to my next visit.
Thank you in advance.
And it works! I get responses with packets of information often with personal notes advising the best locations and even recommendations on places to eat and things to do in the area.
Now I have suggestions on more locations to write, and I’ll pick some located on my intended route further down the road.
Some of the smaller stores will have irregular hours, so we call ahead to be sure they will be open, and ask for directions if the brochure lacks a map. One shop owner even opened early to accommodate our schedule. We have been back to her location several times and she always asks what we are hunting for this time, and brings requested items from her warehouse.
Now that’s how an obsessive compulsive shops.
