Every now and then you comes across a place on Yelp that makes you step back a little... I've been…read morehere a TON of times! How have I not reviewed this place before now...?! The Picker Knows is one of those places... Probably the premier, and my favorite, antique "mall" in the Des Moines metro! Rows and rows of vendor booth and cases. I'd hate to total the money up that I've spent here... And buying is great, but a lot of times I just have fun window shopping. Looking at the many different things here that I can't afford or have no business spending money on... Lol Very large display items, furniture, antiques, retro and vintage, some modern, a few clothes, comics, vinyls, Hot Wheels, some dusty and rusty things, handcrafted items, and tons of smalls! Prices are vendor driven. So some are high, some are at market, and there are great deals to be found here too. As a veteran I appreciate the veteran's only parking spot near the front door. At only 55 I pass it up a lot because there are veterans in A LOT worse shape than I am. But I have used it a couple of times. It's so easy to spend hours here! Vendors leave and new vendors fill their slots. And with the merchandise being vendor provided...the selection is ever changing! The staff is fantastic and always available for questions or to open a case! The bathrooms aren't terrible for this environment. They aren't perfect...pretty plain Jane...but they don't send you running for the hills. Lol The Picker Knows is a must stop in the Des Moines metro if you are into antiquing or thrifting!

The Picker Knows prides itself on being one of Iowa's largest antique malls with over 35,000 square…read morefeet of "stuff". I was here because my Nephew was getting married next door at the Decades Event Center. I believe that both spaces were once a Dahl's Grocery Store. Since I was early and the pictures I was in were taken, I had some time to wander about. I love looking around antique stores and this place certainly had a lot of space and individual "consignment" booths. In situations like this, my eyes glaze over as I keep walking. In my head is Gayle saying - "Where are you going to put this crap?". In my heart is the preference of finding some unique peace that I can convince myself that I can't do without. I finally purchased a cool heavy metal Iowa-themed belt buckle for $15. That was after my go-to shopping targets of knives, pens, and old publications came up empty. I also find that I'm good for about 30 minutes in an antique store, and them I have to get out. If there's a next time, I'm sure inventory will be different, so who knows what might appear!

This is an incredibly unique place and is well worth the stop. We were traveling from out of town…read moreand decided to pop in, and were so impressed. Floors and floors or quality antiques and interesting finds. Everything was thoughtfully placed and well kept - I didn't even see any dust on them. Employees were super sweet and they will ship the items for you! Coffee is good too, and there's ample space to sit and relax.

Not only is the a great place to explore for its wonderful salvage and antiques, it's a wonderful…read morespot to host an event. The staff is so accommodating and friendly. They have beverage service and allow you to wander and explore with your drink of choice. It's a super experience!

Good variety, reasonable prices, Owner is a great guy and a good Christian. Definitely one of my…read morefavorites .

One of my favorite stops when I'm out thrifting. It's been a couple of different iterations over…read morethe years, but this one came with a remodel and it really classed the place up. Don't get me wrong... It's still a second hand store so don't expect Dillard's but comparatively spearking it's one of the cleaner nicer shops in the metro. What have I picked up here? Antiques, brass, an almost 6 ft set of longhorns, Buck knives, cast iron, tools... And most recentl y a vintage wall Coca Cola bottle opener that the owner gave to me free of charge when my gf mentioned it was my birthday. We're kind of regular customers... Lol Inventory varies by the day. We try to swing in often. Good people. A good shop. Not much else you can ask for.

First of all store is huge! It goes way back and is 2 store fronts wide. It's filled with…read moreeverything from antiques to artwork and metalwork. Some of the items that are sold from a vendor you can get customized, like metal sports team sizes. The layout is like a bunch of little shops in one large store. Really unique. Another nice feature is they offer lay away. The Staff is so friendly and very knowledgeable if you are looking for something in particular!

Very nice Antique store with room after room of, "memories"! This would probably be a 3 1/2 star to…read more4 so I will round up, the staff was very very nice asking if we needed anything and small chatting but not bugging us. Lots of fun stuff here, baseball Starting Line Up's I had as a kid, fun furniture, little toy pianos, a whole section of Elvis stuff, records galore, nick nacks, toys, etc. I found a bunch of stuff I though was fun and interesting and the prices were pretty good, but I didn't end up leaving with anything today, but now that I have been here I will probably go back! I love room after room of Memories waiting to be someone else's memories! Take a Sunday afternoon and head to Valley Junction looking for treasures! Lots of good Antique shopping in the Junction.

I'm obsessed with this store and already want to go back even though I was just there yesterday…read more The postcard selection alone will knock your socks off! So, so many great options and all affordable prices so I actually spent some money! Don't miss it.

It's cute! It's kitsch! It's cottage core and homemade. Definitely a spot for someone looking to…read moremake their space cozy and cute. Local business that sells local goods. Nothing will be cheap, but you'll look and feel nice and have supported a small business. I'm partial to the homemade soaps and plant vibes.

Amazing people and items! went there with my dad and sister to go look at antiques, found a…read morebeautiful spring bunny rabbit porcelain set, but it was being sold for $40 (amazing prices!) with about 5 pieces, I didn't have $40 but I really wanted one of the mugs, the nice lady behind the counter told me she cannot sell me just one because people pick and choose and leave her stuck, but, as I was leaving, she asked me which one I even wanted, and she told me; "meh, you seem like a good kid, $10." and it made me feel more valued than any other point that day, that is my favorite thing I got on that trip for no other reason than the sheer sentimental value it holds, amazing place, amazing prices, amazing people.

Beautifully curated store bringing new life to vintage treasures. Owner and associates all possess…read morea true love for their finds and how to appreciate them in new ways within your home. Great corner location in a thriving East Village district. Must stop during your time in Des Moines!

We were staying in Des Moines for a night while traveling to MN from Texas, and came across this…read moreplace when trying downtown one morning. The store itself was really neat to walk through, and they had fantastic restrooms! However, the people there were not very friendly. I smiled at one girl who worked there, and she just stared straight through me as she walked by me. Then, there was a guy and another woman, with only the woman briefly saying anything at all to us. They did have a nice selection of odds and ends, with lots of tins, old kitchen utensils, pots, pans. It was an okay stop for the morning, but wish those working there had been a bit friendlier. There is apparently free parking somewhere, but we had already paid at a meter before seeing the sign inside regarding this. Maybe we missed it on the outside somewhere, but that would definitely have been helpful to have seen before paying.

The Raccoon Forks Trading Company is kind of hidden away from the main East Village establishments…read more I only found it because I had parked at the nearby (and free) Capital lot and wandered by it on my way down to Fontenelle Supply Company and Raygun. There's also a restaurant next door (and connected inside) called Railroad Bill's Diner, which will have to wait for my next visit. I enjoy antique stores, especially the ones that have some curation and don't make me feel like I'm drinking out of a fire hose when looking around. This store is nicely laid out, easy to navigate, and features various individually owned (?) and themed bays (like books or tools). I also appreciated that I was pretty much on my own, unless I needed to ask for help or advice. So what did I buy? Let's just say that Gayle has already asked about it, rolled her eyes, and restated that we didn't need any more "junk" in the house. These places never reveal their true breadth in one visit, so I will be back the next time I'm in town. When you decide to come, please also note the historical building and its freight company heritage.

What a cool place! You almost need to dedicate a weekend to look at everything in this antique…read moremall. There's great parking and it was easy to find. There are isles upon isles of antiques. I even found an amazing handmade soap there. There are pieces at all price ranges. One of the vendors even struck a deal with my mom on a lunchbox right there! My mom and I came back with all sorts of things, and this place really set the bar for antique malls here in Texas. Take a look, you won't regret it!

Awesome antique shop!! Wow I think everything is in this place!! Service was great and helpful!…read morePrices were fair to value! I would recommend you check it out!!

Disgusting smelly place. Very unorganized. Didn't find many deals for the effort put out…read morelooking.I do love the name though!

What an interesting mix of antiques and more! A little on the dingy side, but that's what makes it…read morefun and keeps the prices reasonable. Booth after booth and case after case are loaded with treasures! It's obvious that some vendors take more pride in their booths than others. Some booths just look messy and others are very tidy and organized. I was REALLY excited to see a vintage Kmart cart and some old Walgreens hand baskets here. They're for shoppers use, not for buying. My guy was happy to get a plate of cookies from Luanna's Kitchen. ;) This was a very fun place to stop! Highly recommend!