Antiquing 101 in Middle Tennessee: What to look for and where to find it

Antiques are becoming more popular nationwide, and Middle Tennessee is no exception. But what's the appeal?

Items are considered antique when they're 100 years or older and vintage when they hit about 40 or 50 years of age. Style trends may play a role in this recent uptick in popularity − for example, mid-century modern furniture, which would be considered vintage, is popular at the moment.

"Mid-century modern is flying out the door right now," said Kathy DeRose, who owns Springfield Antique Barn with her husband.

Some of it is consumers' recognition of the quality difference that comes with vintage or antique furniture, experts agree.

"Antique furniture is generally better made. There’s more craftsmanship," said Anna Kat Napier, owner of Honey Bee Antique Market. "It’s usually really fine wood put together in a higher quality way."

Others prefer shopping antique because it's more sustainable than buying mass-produced furniture and home décor.

"You’re buying something that has already been made. It already exists," Napier said. "That’s one of the reasons I opened my store is so people can shop secondhand and get better made items that are going to stand the test of time and not have a huge impact on the environment."

Some choose antique furniture for its historic value.

"It's a part of history," said Dawn Goodman, owner of Four Sisters Antique and Vintage. "Lately, I don’t believe young people have really been into it, but now, since the pandemic, it seems like people are appreciating things more. And the antiques are really just a part of our lifestyle, a part of our history."

And sometimes nostalgia plays a role, too.

"People walk through (and) they’ll see their grandmother’s candy dish or their aunt’s serving platter or, you know, stemware, glassware that was part of their Thanksgiving meal for years, and that just triggers a memory and it’s a warm and fuzzy," DeRose said.

The antique and vintage market in Middle Tennessee is big and getting bigger − Honey Bee Antique Market opened in February and Four Sisters opened just last fall. Here are some of the region's best places to shop.

Springfield Antique Barn

Located at 700 Willow St. in Springfield, Tenn., the Springfield Antique Barn is a vintage and antique shopping center with more than 30,000 square feet of retail space on two floors of a 100-year-old historic tobacco warehouse. Owner DeRose said its main goal is to foster community.

"The idea is to have an experience while you’re walking through the door," she said. "The antiques just happen to help foster that."

The store features everything from furniture and glassware to old coins and diecast cars.

"I had somebody who bought a moose the other day, a moose head," she said.

DeRose said antique items are better than the things you can find in big box and online stores.

"There are great quality pieces that are still around, that just get repurposed," DeRose said. "The great thing is a lot of furniture still has a lot of life left in it, and it doesn't need to get thrown out."

Goodlettsville Antique Mall

Goodlettsville is known for its high concentration of antique stores, and the Goodlettsville Antique Mall is one of those.

Located at 213 N Main St., it boasts on its Facebook page, 'We have it all.'

Offerings range from furniture to holiday décor.

Honey Bee Antique Market

Napier opened Honey Bee Antique Market because of a passion for the sustainability of secondhand shopping.

"I have everything from the late 1800's on up to mid-century and kind of everything in between," she said. "You're getting something that's not mass-produced, so you're getting something more unique."

She also has a food market in the back of the store, where she sells locally sourced items made in the community. The shop is located at 220 Veteran's Parkway in Murfreesboro.

Rare Bird Antiques

Rare Bird Antiques, open since 1996, also finds its home in Goodlettsville.

"You’re sure to find pieces that share a story. They have a history," its website says. "Our dealers pull together a thoughtfully created collection of antiques, vintage, industrial, mid-century, retro and re-purposed finds."

The site also teases the possibility of running into a star while browsing its wares.

"The Bird has some famous clientele, but we’re not dropping any names," it says.

Located at 212 S. Main St. in Goodlettsville, it's owned by married couple Lori and Jody Day.

Four Sisters Antique and Vintage

Four Sisters Antique and Vintage is a more recent addition to Middle Tennessee. Owner Dawn Goodman said she wanted to bring more antiquing to Murfreesboro, which has fewer shops than Nashville and other areas. She's also prioritizing quality and authenticity.

"We’re going to offer authentic antiques," Goodman said. "It won’t just be called an antique store, and you walk in and there’s a bunch of fake antiques. This will be the real, authentic thing."

The store's address is 1056 Seals Way, Suites G,H, I in Murfreesboro.

GasLamp Antiques

GasLamp Antiques, at 100 Powell Place in Nashville, says it's the largest antique mall in the city and one of the largest in Tennessee. In fact, it's so big that there's a second shop just down the road: GasLamp Too is at 128 Powell Place.

Its offerings are extensive and the more than 300 booths are kept ever-rotating, so each visit opens the opportunity to find something brand new.

Cast + Found Vintiques

Cast and Found has fewer furniture pieces than some of these other stores, but it features a wide variety of vintage and antique décor items, collectibles and apparel. Recently, it started selling freeze dried snacks and treats in retro-looking packaging.

The two-story shop is located at 126 N. Main St. in Goodlettsville.

Antique Archaeology Nashville

Just a few block from the state capitol building is Antique Archaeology Nashville. It's owned by Mike Wolfe, who produced the show "Nashville Flipped" on the DIY Network as well as produced and starred in the History Channel's "American Pickers." The show was about how vintage and antique items reveal pieces of American history.

Alongside the typical types of merchandise found in antique stores, Antique Archaeology also sells its own original branded apparel and merchandise. The shop is located at 1300 Clinton St. #130 in Nashville.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'Part of history': Why more Tennesseans are shopping for antiques