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Friday, September 25, 2015

Grand Rapids Treasure Hunting Adventure

Today was the day for my Grand Rapids treasure hunting adventure! I started out going that way last Friday, but half way there, I wasn't feeling it, so I stopped and had fun in Lansing. This morning was a foggy start that turned into a beautiful day. Auntie and I had a lot of fun exploring 7 different antique shops, all within a couple of miles.

We started at a "Vintage Yard Sale". We saw the signs and couldn't resist stopping. There was some fun and awesome stuff, but it was all too much for my cheap wallet. It was fun to look though!!

The first shop that we stopped at was Eastown Antiques. What a fun shop!! The guy working there while we visited (Dan) was super friendly and started our trip off on a fun and happy note. He even gave us suggestions of other antique shops to visit in the area. I already had all but one on my list to visit.

Then we visited Blue Door. This is a great place to pick up industrial/architectural elements or supplies for projects. There was so much to see, and drool over!!

We walked a little ways and we were at City Antiques. There were a LOT of things to love about this place!!

We had to stop at Van's Pastry shop before we hopped back in the car to continue on our journey! Look at all of the cookie jars!!! I got an apple fritter-YUM- my favorite!!

The next stop was a huge building with at least 4 different antique shops. I don't know if it was originally a ware house or a factory, but it was HUGE!!! The first shop in the building was Buckley & Douglas. It was the smallest shop of all of them in the building, and their focus seemed to be on industrial. The guy working there was super friendly, and I got a kick out of watching him walk around with his pet bird Roxanne. You can see a picture of her on their facebook page-you'll just need to scroll down a little way.

A short walk to the next door in the building brought us to Century Antiques. Another fun place to wander around. Lots of Pyrex!!

The next stop was just a short walk to the next door in the building Lost and Fountics other than the outside of Warehouse One. What a bummer because this place is HUGE!!! So much to see! It was a great mix of all kinds of antique and vintage things.

If I lived closer, I'd be visiting all of these shops on a regular basis! It was a really fun day, and even though Art Prize was going on, traffic wasn't bad at all. The thing that sticks out in my mind the most from visiting all of those shops, were how friendly the workers were-not in a fakey kind of way either...it seemed genuine, and it was a nice change from some shops I've been to recently.

We weren't feeling very adventurous at lunch time-just very hungry, and knowing we had a long trip back, we just hit a fast food drive thru, and got back on the road for home. As we were driving, we decided to stop in Lake Odessa at Bonanza Antiques

Pyrex is alive and well at Bonanza Antiques!!! I've never seen so much Pyrex at that store before, and maybe not at any other store-it was everywhere!! So many booths were stocking it, that it was literally everywhere you looked!!

We were bummed that the Lake Odessa Antique Mall wasn't open. They are only open W, Sa, & Su. I don't understand the Wednesday and not Friday, unless they use Friday as their day for treasure hunting. It seems like there'd be more business on a Friday than a Wednesday.

Oh, well, it was a fun day despite missing out on one of our favorite shops. We talked and blabbed more than two people should, and we laughed a lot too!!

Here are some pics from our Grand Rapids adventure...

How could you skip a sale that has a sign like this!?!

Some items at the vintage sale...


I loved, loved, loved this little cabinet/dresser. It was super tiny though.


The scoreboard was interesting, until I saw the made in China sticker on the back...made to look old.

I had a Toss Across game when I was a kid and loved it!!


I would love to have a shopping basket rack with baskets...but not for $450!!

See the sign? Wealthy street.


LOOK!!! Isn't this awesome!?!? Auntie ended up buying it. How could she not? She's the Chicken's Auntie after all!!








It was fun to walk around the corner and see this contemporary Fiesta booth!!! I was so hoping to find a 6qt red mixing bowl, but no such luck. Something to keep hunting for I guess!!









This is the basement of Eastown...








I really like the turquoise mirror. It was only $28, I didn't think that was too bad.




Loo at the streets!!! LOVE!!!

This place didn't open until 11, so we weren't able to visit...next time for sure!!!


Look at this building!!! We found it when we took a wrong turn walking and were looking for where we parked.






















All these pins and I still can't find the white enamel daisy pin like my grandma had!






Van's Pastry=YUM!!!




See the cookie jars in the window?? They were on a shelf that ran around the whole inside too-how fun!!! I got a very delicious apple fritter-YUM!!


First door in the huge, ginormous building of shops!!

Second shop



Inside Century Antiques



Each shop had very old, very squeaky wood floors. Very charming, and full of character, but oh, so noisy!!!








Next shop Lost & Found






Next shop-Warehouse One


I heard a loud bang as I walked into this room and as I came around the corner, I saw this guy rubbing his forehead. He walked right into this blower. In his excitement to see whatever was there on the floor, he didn't see it, and he hit it HARD!!  He kept saying how bad it hurt. I kind of watched him to see if he was going to need help, but he seemed ok. I crossed paths with him many times throughout my wanderings and he looked fully recovered. I would have totally hit my head too, maybe they should hang streamers from it so it's more noticeable. I wonder how many people have walked into it...





There were many more pics that I couldn't take because my battery died. This place is HUGE, don't let my lack of pics make you think it is small and not worth visiting!! It is SO worth it!!! I'll have to go back soon so I can take more pics to show you how awesome and BIG it really is!!!


Bonanza Antiques in Lake Odessa-my phone had about a half hour to charge back up while we drove! This puzzle table is still there!!


Look at the walls in the basement booths!!!







I really want an old orchard ladder, one that get wider as it goes to the base...quilts and tablecloths look awesome on ladders!!!


Poor DWD 401!! It was only a couple of dollars,



Pyrex is alive and well at Bonanza!!! If you're looking for a Pyrex fix, this is the place to visit!!! This is the most Pyrex I've seen in any shop in at least the past year, maybe longer!!










I picked this little book up and found it is loaded with shops I've never heard of! Now I have a list of new shops to plan adventures for!!!


 Filling up with gas and I saw this pretty little tree...fall is coming to Michigan!!!







These are my finds for the day...the mini Tupperware shakers are for my mom. She's had me looking for a set for her camper for her for over a year! She's excited that I got them for her! The horizon casserole was from Eastown, and it was less than $6!! From and antique mall!! The little glass things are eye wash cups. I've always been fascinated with them, because they are glass, and because of what they are for (I was an optician for 14 years, so eye things are cool to me),

This metal art flower was my big splurge of the day. I have it in the front in a flower bed right now. I think I'm going to move it to the backyard, in front of the barn so I can see it everyday.