Junk Shopping in Nashville, TN

I thought I’d share some of my favorite spots in the Nashville area for good junk, vintage items, and a few antiques.  Don’t tell anyone!!! 

If you’re in town on Nashville Flea Market weekend, always, ALWAYS, go there first!!  It’s every fourth weekend except in December.  Huge deals on furniture, old jars & bottles, industrial/metal pieces, tin ceiling tiles, corbels and really anything and everything you’d ever think about.  Parking costs $3-5 depending on where you park.  Don’t plan on speaking to fellow shoppers who are also dealers.  They are on a mission – to get to the deal before you or anyone else!  It’s not personal, it’s just business!  Best time to go is Friday morning and then again Sunday between 1-3pm.  After 3pm, the dealers are packing up and grumpy.  If you see something unique and you that you really want, you better get it right then.  If you blink or think you can wait and come back on the last day, you might be out of luck.  Ask my dad.  He found some antique railroad date nails and only bought two on Friday morning.  He talked about them the rest of the weekend and said “I’ll just wait and buy more on Sunday when we go back.”  They were all gone.  One person bought all she had (about 30) to use in his furniture making business.  You snooze, you lose!

I’ve found many a unique item at the Nashville flea.  And once you become a regular, dealers began to recognize you, and you just might get a better deal!  There’s always a variety and you never know what you might find.  But there’s also the the same staple items that you can always count on finding there – like mason jars, old windows and doors, skeleton keys, tin ceiling tiles, original furniture hardware, metal letters, and cowhide pieces.

Some others that are on my list to check out: 

I’ve heard there is a really great flea market in Dickson.  I plan on checking it out soon!  If you’ve gone and it’s worth the trip, please let me know.  Hendersonville has a new indoor flea market/market place.  I’ve heard from a few folks that they have good furniture deals, but I don’t make it up to that area very often.  Check it out if you’re in the area and let me know.  There’s also one in Lebanon, but I haven’t been able to find it.  I think it’s every Sunday.

I had planned to write more about junk stores and antique shops in the area, but ran out of time.  Keep checking back for a blog about those.  Thanks!!

Have fun shopping!!!

Jennifer

2014 Spring Barn Sales and Market Sales Events

There are so many events going on this Spring in Nashville!  Lots of new barn sales and pop up events.  I’m excited to be a new vendor at the Strawberry Patch Barn Sale this year.  I’m also returning to the Hayloft Barn Sale but it’s my first time as a Spring vendor.  These events are in the middle TN area.  Southern Junkers is having a market sale just outside of Memphis in west TN. 

Listed below are the Facebook event links to each of these:

The Strawberry Patch Barn Sale in Hartsville, TN – May 1-3, 2014

 

The Hayloft Barn Sale in Clarksville, TN – May 15-17

 

Southern Junkers Spring Market, Memphis, TN – April 11&12, 2014

 

Other Spring Sales:

The Pick-it Fence Vintage Barn Sale, Lascassas, TN – May 30&31, 2014

 

Other events in the area that you won’t want to miss include:

NoBull Vintage in Murfreesboro, TN – June 12-14, 2014

 

Don’t forget about the City Farmhouse Pop-Up Sale in the Fall…

 

There are many, many more events and I will try my best to update this page as I learn about them and find their info.  Hope to see you at one of these!

Jennifer

Downsizing at Gaslamp Antique Mall, Nashville, TN

My life as a junker began long before I actually knew what to call it…back then you were just a pack rat or something along those lines.  Now we have nice new (friendlier) terms to call myself and my fellow junkers/pickers.   

Several years ago I got my very first booth at an antique mall (Gaslamp) in Nashville.  A decision I’ll never regret!  I’ve made some of the best friends and contacts there and have learned so much – about antique and vintage items, as well as life lessons and people skills (or lack thereof).  It has been such fun filling my spaces with all the goodies I’ve found on my many hunting trips.  I’ve grown from sharing a small 6’ by 7’ booth to having two booths with over 200 sq ft.  I had so much stuff, I thought getting another space would solve that problem and double sales!  It was very easy to fill both spaces, but with recent increases implemented and stagnant sales, it just wasn’t cost productive to keep both.  I have sadly decided to downsize to one space.  But oh, it’s jam packed! And will continue to have the same shabby chic goodies that I always try to find.  Instead of having two spaces in one store, I’ve decided to expand and get spaces at other locations in Nashville.  I’ve also got space at 8th Avenue Antique Mall and just recently moved into Downtown Antique Mall.  Please check those out too!   

Here are pics from my one smaller space at Gaslamp.  I will miss the big booth I’ve had for some time now, but hopefully with my packing skills and my friend Terry’s organizing skills, I’ll be able to jam just as much stuff in it!

Good bye back row space!  I’ll miss my next door neighbor Merrill, but I’ll just be right across the isle – within shouting distance. It looks so big with nothing in it! 

And now the shabby explosion in my remaining corner booth!!!  Just across from Jason Parker Counce’s “Dirt” booth… 

I can clearly see that I’ve collected way too many small items, although I love them, I really want to have space for more furniture – which is my passion (painting shabby chic style). 

As always, thanks for checking out my blog.  Stop by and say hello if you’re in the Nashville area.

Jennifer

Downtown Antique Mall, Nashville, TN

If you didn’t already know about this hidden antique treasure shop, you must check out the Downtown Antique Mall in Nashville (612 8th Avenue South, 37203, 615-256-6616).

Here are some pics of my new booth there.  I have my usual shabby chic findings, but the store has tons of mid-century modern and industrial goodies! 

So here’s the space before I did anything to it.  It was raw pegboard.  The owner of the mall asked me to please paint it!  I readily agreed, not really liking the unfinished look.  But the more I thought about painting the walls, the less excited I became.  Then I thought I’d cover it with burlap like in my other booths!

The fabric on one bolt was slightly shorter in width??  I don’t know what happened, but I had about 3-4 inches of pegboard that I had to cover!!!  I just happened to be checking out a fb trading group and found some trim for sale.  Trying to do something a little different, I thought this might look good.  I painted it a crème color to match the burlap.

Here’s one of the moving in pics.  I was fortunate enough to have my dad help move the big furniture and add the trim.

Finally I got it all packed in!  And I didn’t think it was all going to fit!! Whew!

Thanks again for checking out my blog!  And if you’re in the neighborhood, please check out my spaces at Downtown Antique Mall, 8th Avenue Antique Mall, and Gaslamp Antique Mall.  Say hello if you see me there.  Thanks!

Jennifer