Well Worn, Still Wonderful
Some of the best things have already had a life somewhere else. A little wear, a little history, and the occasional mystery only make the hunt more interesting!
The Hunt is Half the Fun
In Nashville, GasLamp Antiques gives treasure hunters plenty of ground to cover. GasLamp Antiques and GasLamp Too sit about a quarter-mile apart on Powell Place, with two 25,000-square-foot stores housing nearly 300 independent dealers. Furniture, estate jewelry, lighting, rugs, art, architectural salvage, and vintage décor fill the mix, so browsing can easily become the main event rather than a quick stop between errands.
Knoxville’s Blair House Antiques puts the hunt inside a building with history of its own. Built in the 1920s, the property once housed the White Dot Restaurant and speakeasy, followed by Vestor’s Florists. Today, its rooms hold estate and vintage jewelry, sterling silver, antique chandeliers, glassware, crystal, and collectibles. Even shoppers who arrive without a particular piece in mind may find themselves studying an old brooch or chandelier a little longer than expected.
Across the state in Chattanooga, Circa, formerly Southside Antiques, brings together antique and vintage home décor and collectibles spanning multiple eras. That range is part of what keeps antiquing interesting. A room doesn’t have to belong to one decade, and neither does a good find.
Old Pieces, New Chapters
In East Memphis, Wellford’s Antiques & Interiors leans into furnishings and decorative pieces with staying power. Its collections include English and French furniture, original artwork, pottery, sterling and silver-plated pieces, estate silver, lamps, and other finds gathered in the United States and abroad. The business grew from owner Karen Wellford’s interior design work, where one-of-a-kind pieces were originally collected for clients’ homes.
That’s part of the appeal of antiquing. These shops aren’t stocked with rows of identical things. Inventory changes, objects arrive with a little wear and history, and the best discoveries often weren’t on the shopping list at all. A Saturday spent browsing can end with a piece for the house, a gift with some character, or simply a good story about the one that almost came home.
Keep the treasure hunt going with more antique shops across the state at https://www.guidetotennessee.com/antique-stores.
