Not So Secret Garden
I decided not to take 95 back to Richmond from an appointment in Fredericksburg on Friday. A more scenic route would be a good way to end the work week, I thought. Most importantly, there may be some thrift stores or antique miles on 301.
So there I was winding down 301, nearly three quarters of the way home and feeling like I'd found the only back road without thrift or antique stores when I saw it: Through the Garden Gate "Antiques."
I put the breaks on and hopped out of my car. Putting aside my aversion to cheesy, useless quotation marks, I stepped inside. And I'm glad I did. Right down the road from Hanover High School, this place is like an antique mall in the layout alone. This is not your typical dig-through-old-stuff antique store. This is shabby chic heaven.
See what I'm talking about? Each booth area has an adorable theme - all white repainted furniture, burlap and lace, Parisian, even camouflage! Through the Garden Gate offers cottage, vintage and romantic style home decor, gifts and furniture. And it keeps going and going and going. In fact, there are 20,000 square feet and 60 dealers. I like picking out old beat up pieces to repaint, but this is not the place for that. Everything's been redone already, so while I didn't get anything, I loved walking around for inspiration. I saw a couple of items, like that driftwood wreath, that I want to show my mom for the new lake house.
I also loved this little sign. It almost made me want to rename the blog, but then I realized that would make me a "junker" ... awkward. I thought I'd finally found the word that included all the thrifting, antiquing and collecting I like to do. I guess anything looks cute in that handwritten font. RVA Dabbler Stays.
Despite the incorrectly used quotation marks, I look forward to returning toThrough the Garden Gate and have added it to my brand spankin' new treasure map.
This thing's cool people. I know I don't really have "people" yet to address in such a way, but someday my troves of followers will discover this in my archives as the famous post that started the it amazing RVA Dabbler treasure map. This is a living document of all the thrift, antique, consignment and vintage stores in the Greater Richmond area. It's a total work in progress and I'll be adding to it as I visit and blog. I'm partial to home goods and furniture rather than clothes, but have no objections to adding any submissions!
Dabble on, y'all!
Through the Garden Gate Antiques
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Mon-Fri 10-5, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5
10351 Chamberlayne Rd., Mechanicsville, VA 23116
804-746-5778