The Savvy Picker travels around the Southeast looking for vintage merchandise to stock her brick-and-mortar and online shops. This spring, she visited the North Georgia Mountains and stopped in at Blue Heron Antiques. Keep reading to check out her hauls and pick up a few tricks of the trade.
Blue Heron Antiques in Cleveland, Georgia, is housed in a white clapboard building that once housed the famous Babyland General Hospital, where Cabbage Patch dolls were ‘born.’ Thus, it has many truly unique features that make shopping at Blue Heron Antiques a one-of-a-kind experience. From the large, live edge wooden countertop at the register to the masonry around the indoor water feature, the building oozes with interest.
As I meandered through the many well-staged rooms, the indoor stream burbling happily in the background, many unique items caught my interest, like this pair of cast iron cat andirons whose green glass eyes are designed to glow when a fire burns behind them.
The moment I knew my credit card would be making an appearance was when I stumbled across a pair of large mid-century brass candlesticks for $75. This past year, I sold a pair just like them for $375 in my Etsy shop. So, I snagged these beauties, knowing it would be a very easy listing to re-create on Etsy and earn a quick $300.
This same booth had a great many beautiful old books with gorgeous gilt and leather spines. Gorgeous old books are always hard for me to resist, especially when they have price points like these did at five and ten dollars each. After picking up several of these, I started making a pile at the register.
It didn’t take long for my pile to grow into a mountain. I soon added two very pretty Apothecary jars full of shells, a large piece of coral, and an absolutely amazing wall sculpture of three hand-carved whales swimming on driftwood. Because I live on the coast, I can charge premium prices for these items. In the NC mountains, they don’t command high prices.
I also picked up a couple of baskets, some great pieces of pottery, and this little owl bank with so much personality that he only roosted in my shop for a day or two before he flew out the door in the arms of a thrilled customer.
Overall, I found the prices very reasonable for an antique store!
This seems a good time to remind readers that while antique shops generally have a slightly higher price point than thrift stores, the items you find in them are usually already curated, so it is easier to find quality goods. Also, most antique vendors take the time to clean their pieces. So, when I shop at antique stores, I save time by not having to clean items when I get home.
An added bonus to visiting Blue Heron Antiques is that it now houses Dana’s Antiques too, a business I visited last year. So you can visit two great businesses in one stop!
If you love antiques and unique shopping experiences, plug Blue Heron Antiques into your GPS and head on over. The shop is at 73 West Underwood Street in downtown Cleveland, Georgia.
Visit the Blue Heron Antiques Facebook page for hours and more information.
TSP takeaway
Who should visit: Shoppers who enjoy the ambiance of shopping in a historically significant building with a wide variety of vintage merch!
Score of the day: Brass Candlesticks
Predicted profit on Candlesticks: $300
Re-seller takeaway: Think about what sells best in your region, and look for those items when visiting other areas where those same things might be less desirable and cost less.
Click here for more great reads and finds. For additional tips on tracking vintage treasures, visit The Savvy Picker website.
