A is for Antique Allure!
W is for Want! If you love vintage toys, and antique signs, if you love Coca-Cola, die cast cars and décor with a little patina, we’ve got a store for you! The best place to shop for vintage items is to visit an antique store. But not all antique stores are created equal and it’s important to not only know what you are looking for when you shop in the world of antiques, it’s important to know WHERE you are looking as well. At Antique Allure, we have created an environment that is a safe place to shop for beginning collectors as much as it is for experienced antique collectors.
When you begin scouring antique malls, flea markets and yard sales hoping to find a vintage treasure it is important to know what you are looking for. However, it is important to know where you are shopping as well. Of course, when you shop at flea markets and garage sales you are shopping at your own risk and you need to have a little bit of knowledge behind you in order to know what you are looking for. If you end up buying something that is not, in fact, an antique, you are usually out only a few dollars. When you shop in a vintage or antique store, you are relying on that proprietor to be able to distinguish between trash and treasure so that they can pass that confidence on to you.
An antique store or mall is usually filled with different booths or sections run by other collectors or dealers. Do your homework because not all places are created equal. Reproductions are the biggest culprit when shopping for antiques. Some people are okay with reproductions and that is perfectly fine. It is not fine, however, to pay real deal prices on something that was mass-produced in modern times. Know the difference in original and reproduction prices and you have solved half the battle.
If you enter a store that claims to be pure vintage or antique but does not take the time to explain an item to you, you may want to consider moving on to the next store. A shop owner or manager should be knowledgeable in what they are selling and should be able to either have a definitive answer or be able to find out the answer for you in a reasonable amount of time. That is what good customer service is about and that is what you should expect from an antique dealer.
When you enter an antique store you want to be confident that the owner has set prices based on what they are selling and knows the difference between a reproduction and an original. At Antique Allure, we want you to feel confident when you shop with us. We encourage you to ask lots of questions especially if you are not sure about an item that you are looking to purchase. Get to know us because we sure want to know you!
