Asheville earns accolades for its vibrant arts scene, abundant craft breweries, sensational culinary offerings, and inspired local shops, but those in the know also relish the diversity of antique shops in Asheville that are waiting to be explored. From a lineup of vintage shops in the Biltmore area to treasure hunter destinations farther afield, you can find many pieces with stories to tell.
Ask any local where to go antiquing in Asheville, and you’re likely to get an eclectic list of treasure-filled shops, but the list will always include the Antique Tobacco Barn. At 77,000 square feet with 75 distinct booths and an espresso bar, you could call it the hub of the local antiques scene. Here, there are gems for every corner of your home, including primitive farm tables, handmade cabinets, sturdy butcher blocks, stained glass windows, lawn decorations, vintage signs, chandeliers, clawfoot tubs, china, cowhide rugs, and even vintage clothes. It’s common to see pickup trucks in the parking lot ready to carry large pieces and many finds to their new homes.
“The Antique Tobacco Barn has it all,” says Courtney Hinton, owner and principal designer at Hearth + Home Interiors, an Asheville-based design studio. “As far as a vintage and antique furniture selection goes, they have something for everyone, with wonderful vendors who turn their booths over with new inventory quite often.”
A stop at this Asheville antique barn is a great starting point for visiting the string of vintage and antique shops along Swannanoa River Road and nearby.
Just down the road is Atomic Furnishing & Designs, a must-visit destination for lovers of midcentury modern furniture and decor. The shop’s owners share their love for the design aesthetics of the 1950s and ’60s by restoring and rejuvenating sofas, credenzas, dressers, chairs, and other antique furniture pieces for your choosing. The vibrant and neatly organized space is also home to booths featuring abstract art, photography, handwoven baskets, and other vintage goodies.
The Regeneration Station is housed in a lime-green warehouse on the opposite side of the river. Booths fill the enormous space and create a thrifted vibe, with surprises around every corner. It’s as if a friend with a great eye for design brought all their best finds to one place for you to peruse. The feel is no accident because the root of Regeneration Station’s mission is to keep objects that need a bit of love or creative reinvention from ending up in the landfill. You’re less likely to find a French Provincial armoire (but never say never) than a low-slung, sprawling 1970s couch or a paper mache lion’s head to hang on your wall.
Sweeten Creek Antiques is where you’re most likely to find pieces that remind you of days spent at your grandparents’ house, with everything from collectibles and quilts to Hoosier cabinets and beloved toys from your childhood. Are you looking for a rotary telephone or vintage lunch boxes? This is your spot to hunt and reminisce. Each aisle keeps you guessing; in one, you’ll find vintage clothing and a trove of books, while another holds vinyl records and Fiestaware.
If you truly appreciate knowing the provenance of a stunning dining room table from another century or learning about the artist behind an extraordinary oil painting, Village Antiques at Biltmore is calling. As Hinton explains, Village Antiques is where you find a remarkable investment piece, whether it’s an 18th-century Georgian Painted Chinoiserie writing table, Venetian mirror, or Tiffany Studios lamp.
For a chance to bid on a range of beautiful and historically significant objects, including jewelry, furniture, sculptures, paintings, and more, mark your calendar to attend one of the many bidding events hosted by Brunk Auctions. One auction might feature Asian art, such as Chinese pottery from the Tang Dynasty. In contrast, another might feature a colorful glass sculpture from renowned North Carolina artists John Littleton and Kate Vogel. In this case, the thrill of the hunt is replaced with the rush of live bidding on authenticated pieces. A detailed catalog showcases the lovely items on the block, and bids can be placed in person, online, or via phone.
One of the newest destinations on the scene is Marquee Asheville in the River Arts District of West Asheville. With the creation of this fresh and lofty design market, an art gallery and antique shop became one. The core of this 50,000-square-foot space is a series of gallery walls showcasing works ranging from encaustic paintings to hand-carved marionettes. The central aisle is flanked by booths featuring antiques and signature modern pieces, from salvaged balloon molds reimagined as wall decor to jewelry, tramp art, textiles, deco chairs, wrought iron lamps, and more. There is so much to explore; you might want to take a break for refreshments in the wine, beer, and mead bar, Saint Brighid’s.
In the same stretch of shops and restaurants, visit Sunnyside Trading Co. for rugs, furniture, mirrors, textiles, and more from China, India, Thailand, Turkey, and other distant locales. With so much color, pattern, patina, and warmth to soak in, even a die-hard Joanna Gaines fan will rethink their obsession with milk tones and beige. Take a trip around the globe as you admire the overdyed rugs saturated with rich jewel tones, handmade Moroccan lanterns, and painted furniture.
Rose’s Garden Shop on the north side of town is an oasis for green thumbs who love antiques. The store fills every corner on the first floor of a Tudor-style home, and the resident corgi will be pleased to greet you at the door. Here, various plants—air plants, succulents, orchids, and more—thrive among vintage frogs for flower arranging and gorgeous ceramic pots and vases by McCoy, Zanesville, and Roseville. You’ll also find dainty vintage handkerchiefs, garden ornaments, statues, and adorable figurines.
After 30 years in business, Lexington Park Antiques embodies old-school Asheville and stands in stark contrast to the modern boutiques and breweries that surround it downtown. This almost-hidden gem is tucked away on a steep side street. Above the door, a green sign reads Vanderbilt Shirt Company Inc., a hint about the building’s past. Inside, you can almost get lost in the cavernous shop, discovering everything from vintage dress shoes for dapper gents to jadeite dishware and collectible action figures.
Hunting Far & Wide
Dedicated treasure seekers shouldn’t limit their search to Asheville proper. If you’re willing to go further in your hunt to find the best antique stores, you’ll discover unique pieces just a short drive away.
Fabulous Finds & Collectibles is a sweet spot in Mars Hill, NC, a blossoming college town north of Asheville. Tucked in a strip mall behind a Waffle House, you find an enchanting world of hobnail glass, Oriental art, pottery jugs, records, and wood furniture. The knowledgeable and welcoming shop owner will even put an album on the player if you want to check its quality. Be sure to pet the shop dog, a darling Yorkshire terrier named Itty.
The Garage on 25 in Fletcher, NC, is a hopping spot that blends works by local artists and jewelry makers with finds from bygone eras. Don’t skip the basement, or you’ll miss midcentury modern furniture, clothing from the ’50s to the ’80s, and other pieces straight out of a time capsule. While on this side of town, stop at LuLu’s Consignment Shop for furniture, paintings, decor, and more.
If you find the larger antique warehouses overwhelming, Buckeye Antiques Mall in Swannanoa, NC, will soothe your senses. A smaller shop with equally beautiful pieces, this welcoming spot is clean, bright, and filled with furniture, books, toys, and art. Also, check out Antiques on Sutton, which is nearby in Black Mountain, NC.
