Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 17, 1993 TAG: 9302170154
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN DEVIDO SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
NEW BLACKSBURG MALL OFFERS ARRAY OF ANTIQUES, USED ITEMS 4 1 OLDIES OLDIES
Todd Smith opened his Golden Oldies antiques mall recently with attractions ranging from pure memorabilia to items with a practical twist.Variety is the name of the game for Smith's store. And there's plenty of it.
Smith, 31, and his wife, Deborah, 24, own and operate the mall on South Main Street in Blacksburg. The wares of five other dealers are included among the antiques and collectibles.
There is 1940s and '50s nostalgia for starters. Some of the more striking items include jewelry of the era and African masks.
Want to go way back? The store even has a Buck Rogers sled.
One dealer offers framed war artifacts dating as far back as the 1500s. There are war maps and Confederate money.
Books from 1790 and later line the shelves, with topics ranging from philosophy to cooking. Smith said he hoped to have more than 2,000 books. Prices range from 75 cents to $30.
And there's more, including antique furniture and appliances. One of Smith's favorite pieces is a 1927 kitchen cabinet from Sears Roebuck.
"It's in mint condition," he said.
Smith also takes great pride in a solid walnut bed from the Civil War period.
The bed was put in a linen closet and kept there for more than 50 years. It was found in the closet with the linen still on it.
It's priced at $2,200.
He also has a 120-piece set of Fostoria American pattern glass for $2,500.
Smith also offers items specifically for the college crowd - used furniture, and cheap, too.
"We offer better quality for the same price," he said. "Someone came in and said my used furniture was better priced than the thrift shop."
End and coffee tables start at $10; dinning tables at $29; sofas at $39.
Although there are five other dealers in Smith's store, he runs it.
The other dealers rent space from Smith to display their collectibles. In turn, he sells their items for them.
Smith said it's better to have just one person doing the selling.
"I man the whole thing," he said. "That way, I know what the customer is looking for."
He said he is optimistic about the location of the business, especially because it's near a college campus.
"Professors and students look for books and used furniture," he said. "And students will bring their parents here."
Smith, who said he always has been fascinated with antiques, had been collecting as a hobby for five years when he started thinking about a year ago about opening a shop.
His parents, Tom and Pat Smith, retired to the New River Valley nine years ago. Todd and Deborah moved here from Florida two years ago. After renting the building that used to be NAPA Auto Parts, Smith cleaned it up and ran ads in the paper for other dealers.
He said he hopes eventually to have nine dealers in the mall, increasing its variety for customers.