The Antique and Variety Mall

Story by Amanda Thompson
Photos by Amanda Thompson

While Plattsburgh holds several antique stores and flea markets, the size alone sets the Antique and Variety Mall apart. Located on Margaret Street in downtown Plattsburgh, next-door to the former Tabu nightclub, it is the size of a small warehouse. As soon as you walk in you are overwhelmed by the sight of shelf after shelf overflowing with diverse items.

When I visited on a Wednesday afternoon, I expected it would be pretty quiet. Instead, I was surprised to find the store relatively busy with many customers strolling in and out. The majority of people were there alone, and seemed caught up in a search to find that special item they were looking for.

When the owner's call this spot a variety mall, they aren’t kidding. Everything up to and including the kitchen sink seems to be in this place, given the time and discerning eye to find it. I also suppose they call it an antique and variety mall because although there are a lot of antique items, there are also a lot of newer items and collectables mixed in.

The mall has been open for close to nine years at this location and is owned by Steve Brody, also the proprietor of Bridge Street Auctions. The antiques are not supplied by just one person, however, there are actually 52 vendors who sell their items at the Antique and Variety Mall. This amount of vendors increases the diversity of items and broadens the selection.

The Antique and Variety Mall is laid out on two floors; the main floor and the basement. On the main floor there are shelves lining the walls which seem to separate the space into smaller rooms with like items in them. For example, toward the back corner of the main floor there is an area with only paintings. Another shelved off area boasts a variety of Adirondack gifts. This makes it a little easier to find what you want in what might otherwise be an overwhelming hodgepodge.

Some of the most common antique items found on the main floor are furniture, magazines, kitchenware and various knick-knacks. There are also a large amount of newer items including gently used furniture, VHS tapes, rustic Adirondack gifts, and other newer collectables.

The basement is equally as large but slightly less organized than the main floor. It also has a lot more newer items than it does antiques. There are party favors, costume jewelry, collectable cookie jars and crafting items. There are once again also a lot of VHS tapes.

Price-wise the Antique and Variety Mall is very reasonable, especially for antique furniture and dishes. Some beautiful antique chairs that caught my eye ran between 40 and 70 dollars and the kitchenware was also extremely reasonable in price.

Manager George Gowdy mentioned to me an interesting fact that “With the current state of the economy antiques and gently used items are becoming a booming business.” He also said that “Generally speaking if you had to duplicate antique furniture and other items today they would cost you three-times as much for half the quality.” He was likely referring to the fact that the wood and fabric used in older furniture were of materials you would find very expensive to purchase today.

For any antique enthusiast or bargain hunter half of the enjoyment of finding that special item is in the search. The Antique and Variety mall is definitely a large enough place to spend a couple of hours just browsing. For the more skeptical antiquer you might be disappointed only because you really have to pick through newer things to find the old, however you will be able to find some relatively good deals.

What do you think of the Antique and Variety Mall?