As the #smalltownsquares series continues, I venture just a few steps down the road to the little town of Chamblee, GA.
I must admit it’s less than 5 minutes from me, from where I’ve been for about 10 years now, and I haven’t even begun to get through the layers and layers of this historic little town.
We are fortunate that the town is experiencing a rebirth of sorts, with a Whole Foods on the verge of opening nearby there has a been a revitalization of new restaurants, shops and building restorations nearby. The area is also home to some of the film studios that are flourishing in Georgia, which to me seems very current but also very old-school at the very same time.
The thing I love most about Chamblee is the abundance of antique and thrift stores known as “Chamblee’s Antique Row.” This little area claims “over 200 dealers” and I must say the variety and niche of some of the shops is a little mind blowing to a vintage lover like myself.
When you wander through each, you begin to notice they each have their own thing going on. From a grande European architectural house to an antique hardware store to what you must call an antique mall but one that is filled with case after case of the deepest and richest collections you could imagine.
The area boasts more and more restaurants that seem to be popping up, by a few staples are the Old Brick Pit Bar-B-Q, which has gorgeous hand-painted windows and has a smoker that seems to run day and night. We also love Vintage Pizza for a tasty family weeknight out or Southbound which is perfect for an upscale + creative Southern date night.
Eugenias Antique Hardware can only be described as the jewelry store of antique hardware, with row after row of glass cases filled with matching sets of hardware. Old bath knobs, hinges and metal plates, all neatly stored and displayed beautifully by genre, color and collection.
A variety of chandeliers and light fixtures hang from the ceiling with random collections of fixtures, Christmas items and classic kids toys in smaller cases in the back. This one stole my heart from the moment I walked in.
The Frosty Caboose is a favorite if the kiddos are picking, giving homage to the town that sits among the still active train tracks. They have the cutest little kid cones and classics when it comes to this frosty treat, and I do believe they serve Greenwood Ice Cream, made just down the street. We love to grab a cone after dinner and watch the trains go by, screaming and laughing ensues if the kids get one of the engineers to blow their horn and wave.
And, another of my favorite antique stores in town (how can I choose just one?) is Way Back When Antiques. I love the shop owner who used to have a space in the Rust and Dust building just down the street. He’s the one who spent nearly an hour walking Wyatt through the shop, showing him how some of these old things worked like an old rotary phone and an anvil, gave him a railroad nail to take home, and the place where he found his very first antique. I probably frequent them the most of any in town, simply because of the owners spot-on style for sourcing wonderful, unique pieces. I never leave empty handed.
This little green handled grater is actually up on the Vintage Goods section of the site, think it’s so fun to know the backstory and where I found some of these pieces.
And I do love the sign painting scattered around town, it’s classic and almost always due to the antique shops. There is even the most amazing new little barber shop in town, complete with ticking stripe salon covers and a working barber pole. The sweet barber was wearing suspenders and I instantly told Shane he must go for his next haircut.
This beautiful old building just a few short months ago was filled * to the brim * with amazing antiques and props. The outside was covered in old metal signs with a large bull and the Hamburgler structure standing outside. Very little was actually for sale, most pieces were used for movie and set props, filled with furniture, pictures and vintage packaged dry goods just to name a few things.
I got to talking to the owner one day, who had been there for over 30 years. He told me this gorgeous building was once a church and I wish I could show you the inside of the main area which was clearly where the congregation gathered. I sure hope this place is restored and turned into something wonderful instead of being torn down, only time will tell.
I love visiting Chamblee and thankfully it’s just down the street from me so I’m able to visit often. I frequent the post office to drop off miscellaneous packages. I am slowly working my way through the antique stores, scouring for treasures and props and know as soon as I get through the rotation it will be time to go back through them all again. I hope you’ll take some time to visit and if you have, I’d love to know your favorite spots in town too! #HEIRLOOMED
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