After passing this shop on Shelburne Road hundreds of times over the years, my wife and I finally made it inside to check it out this past Sunday. We had stopped before but it had always been closed; it was closed this time, too, but then I noticed the sign that said to ring the doorbell if the shop was closed (next to a sign that said no smoking and no purses were allowed inside). And so I rang the doorbell. And a short minute later, a an older gentlemen opened up the shop and let us in, myself sans cigarette, my wife sans purse. What we found inside was a hoarder's paradise. Imagine an old, two-story farmhouse filled to the insulation-less rafters with 10 items for each yard sale/estate sale/junkyard/flea market/trash bin hunting day of the owner's life. Pick your hoarding poison: books, magazines, dishes, bowls, cast iron, furniture, doorknobs, glasses, shot glasses, lamps, signs, toys, stuffed animals, dolls, bottle openers, postcards, license plates, Mason jars, Santa Claus figurines, board games, utensils, tools, boxes, tins, buttons, clocks, clock parts. And if I had more time, I'd tell you what we found once we left that first room.
The store is filled with one narrow passage after another. We thought the "No purses" sign was in place to prevent shoplifting the more we thought about it, the more we wondered if it was in place to prevent purses bumping up against shelves of breakables. I have no idea how this could possible pass a fire inspection. You almost expect to have to sign a waiver before entering the shop, or at the very least, to see a Danger Zone street sign adorning the front door. Most every item in the store is easily accessible, which makes for an enjoyable browsing experience; however, I expect you to leave this shop empty-handed. The prices are indicative of a hoarder who does not want to sell. For instance, a Hull brown cookie jar that is currently attracting no bidders on ebay for $15 is offered in Shed Sales Antiques for $85. Sure you can afford a porcelain door knob for $12 but why should you have to pay that price when other shops sell them for $7?
If you're not claustrophobic, and if you have time to spare, I recommend checking out this shop. If you've got something you're looking for and you haven't been able to find it elsewhere, and if you don't mind spending more than the value price, you might as well spend your money here. read more