Fort Plain Antiques

Soft Vintage Views

2012-02-05T16:15:00.001-05:00

Network minion got a chance to take a few pictures of the store this weekend. I am trying to achieve a soft old world look.

Looking towards the front wall

A micro existence

tin central

Looking towards the front window from the aisle

Winter Activities

2012-01-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

The holidays have ended and now we are full into the winter. It is time for the store to get some extra attention. The General Hoardmaster has been busy cleaning up the aisles and stocking the shelves with a whole bunch of new inventory. It's so tedious, since each box must be evaluated. Some objects need to be cleaned before they can be put up for sale. Others are ready to go, and need to find just the right spot on a shelf. It can be downright nervewracking!
Chris has kept at it and accomplished a lot over the past month. The store is prime and ready for you to come and explore. I must admit, the Network Minion has no new pictures to share at the moment, but I couldn't wait to tell you about the new stuff on the shelves!

Happy Holidays From Fort Plain Antiques

2011-12-20T14:13:00.000-05:00

the new shed outside the back door

Fort Plain Antiques has a new addition! There is a shed outside the back door! This shed is a great addition to FPA and we hope to house larger and more cumbersome objects in there. It's another project for Chris, and along with the busy holiday, he finds himself humping things out the back door and displaying them in this new area.

the view from behind the counter where Chris sits

The lights are on here at Fort Plain Antiques this week as we keep the store open for those that have yet find something interesting and unique for their family or friends in this holiday season.
For your convenience, we are open every day this week, including Christmas Eve, from 12 noon through six, and we still have a great coupon offer you can take advantage of!

Stop on in and have a totally different shopping experience as you browse through aisles of treasures that invoke a memory or two! Chris and I sincerely wish you and yours a happy holiday!

the wagon wheel wreath above the front door

Special Holiday Coupon Deal!!

2011-11-18T21:37:00.001-05:00

50% off sticker price of one item under $50!!
Print this out and bring in on your next visit.

Elfen work for the Minion Wife

2011-11-16T15:22:00.001-05:00

There's so much to do at the store with the holiday season approaching. I've tried to get a head start by working on some Christmas displays in the 2nd floor of the tower.

pastel tree decked out in pink and purple

It's been fun picking through the boxes of ornaments and vintage holiday goodies. To celebrate the season, we are offering a 30% off Holiday Sale until December 31. 2011. Come on down to the store and find a treasure for that special someone on your list!

wooden boxes...wooden barrels....baskets....above the front door

glass glowing in the front window by the stairs

birch logs frame the Christmas display

Santa hangs out in the red and white kitchen collection

delicate embroidery on vintage linens

There's still much to do and the Elfen Minion Wife is working hard with Hoardmaster Santa to keep putting fresh merch out....just in time for your holiday pleasure!

Halloween Horse

2011-10-31T11:17:00.000-04:00

We had just arrived at the store early on Sunday morning so we could try to get some cleaning done. It's best to do this type of chore when no one is shopping. I have been working upstairs in what we fondly call "the linen room".

The linen room, before the overhaul

This room is the second floor of the tower and we have chosen this room as the resting place for the myriad of linens and textiles that Chris has for sale. This room has been getting attention every week now for about a month and I have been spending my extra time after work and on weekends to help. Chris was working on a monstrous shelf unit that he is installing on the second floor to hold our vast selection of records and magazines.
It was quiet and peaceful, like it should be on a Sunday morn.
Suddenly there was a sharp crazy knocking at the back door! I put down the dust rag and ran down to open the door. There outside the door I could see an insane skeletal ghost of a horse! I didn't have a minute to gather my wits! KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Again at the back door.
"Chris! Something really creepy is out back! It's like a skeleton or something!"
He came running down from upstairs...looking at me in disbelief. I am a jokester he probably figured I was goofing around. But sure enough there it was, plain as day, a skeleton!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK... As much as I was afraid of what would happen, I realized that this persistent soul was coming in, whether we liked it or not! Chris flung open the door and this creature galloped right on in! Happy Halloween!!!!

happy halloween horse

The End of an Era

2011-09-21T09:56:00.000-04:00

It's the end of an era at Fort Plain Antiques. Chris, the handsome bachelor antique dealer, married this network minion of blogging fame.

Mr. and Mrs. Takacs

Under sunny skies, in August, Mr. & Mrs. Takacs lovingly took their vows in front of family and friends.

The vintage place settings for the wedding were supplied by none other than Fort Plain Antiques!

The magical moment lasted so briefly, after a few months of anxiety-ridden planning and saving. A short honeymoon trip to Maine followed, with treasured quiet moments at the sea.

Lighthouse - East Boothbay Harbor Maine

It felt so good, this joining of our lives! Now the dream fog has lifted, and we are settling down to this new path that we have chosen together.

Chris has been busy getting back into the swing of things at the store. It has been a long summer of bargain hunting amidst all the wedding prep, and there is a nice stockpile of vintage merch ripe and ready for autumn harvest. It's such a frenzy in the summer, with plentiful village-wide sales and opportunities around every corner. The aisles in the shop are lined with boxes full of items that have too long hidden from the public's view. With all the extra activity this past season, things have piled up and together we are devising plans on how to empty these boxes and fill those shelves. To top it all off, Fall has arrived and cooler days mean we all are getting ready for the winter season ahead. The list of tasks that must be done grows longer as the days grow shorter!

aisles chock full and packed with stuff!

I have always wanted to help Chris with the store, but I already have a full-time job and teach part-time on top of it. We are working to change that, and I will be adding Fort Plain Antiques to my list of steady employers. There's a lot of work there for one man and there's never a day off for Chris. When I think about my new role as his wife, I think of the ways that I can help with the store, like dusting and cleaning, watching the store so we can expand the hours, helping with displays and holiday items, organizing...the list goes on and on. With some additional help, Chris will have more time to find unique stuff! And I hope to fill in some of the gaps, so he can sleep better at night and not worry about the store and this heavy load as much.
Things are bound to change at Fort Plain Antiques. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Hats!

2011-06-18T17:55:00.000-04:00

Hats Off to You!

I am so happy to report that there was a huge influx of ladies hats this month. I have been coming into the store and working with Chris on Sundays and this latest hat selection really caught my eye. Last Sunday, we priced up over 20 hats and put them upstairs in the linen room. These were well taken care of by a a sweet little hat lover....some of them were even stored in vintage hat boxes. With this special care, the fragile netting and fine detailing has survived really well over the years, making these hats worth wearing.

4 hats waiting for your head

With Saratoga so close by, I think it's great that Chris can offer this selection. Maybe you can use one of these hats as a starting point for a one-of-a-kind hat for the races!

Happy Sixth Anniversary to you Fort Plain Antiques

2011-04-01T09:30:00.000-04:00

The old store on Main St.

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the humble business of Fort Plain Antiques.

Chris began collecting and selling odd items a few years before he opened up the shop, while he was still working in Cooperstown. He used to work as a boat mechanic and had reached the top position as manager, but found this job lacking. With some help from his brother John, who was already in the business, he learned the ropes and his own passion for collecting unique items grew stronger. Eventually, he was able to leave his previous employment and strike out on his own. Using group shops and the consignment method, he built up a network of people and slowly the business took flight.

The General Hoardmaster at the Helm in the Main St. Store

After a brief stint of sharing a store with John and his girl Dori, Chris started his own store and Fort Plain Antiques was born. Located right on the main drag, at the light, it was a fabulous location for the starter fledgling business. People driving by could see what was in the store window, which Chris kept lit at night. John was down the street in his store, and then Tay above, and Lori had another store down the street. The area attracted buyers and sellers and soon Rick started periodic auctions. The stores came and went and eventually Fort Plain Antiques was the last remaining antique shop on the street.

There was a lot of work to do before Chris could move in.

After a few years in this location, Chris outgrew the space. He's the Hoardmaster General, remember, and he thinks and lives big. Robert invited Chris to take over some space in the Luxuray building. It took a lot of thought to decide what to do. It was risky moving a young business from such a prominent location to a side street.

Soon, the building was transformed into the store we know and love

But the ambience of the new place and the room for expansion eventually won Chris over and the decision was made.

Fort Plain Antiques' current location on Willett St.

Although it was a daunting task, he moved the entire entourage of odd and unusual items to the other side of town.

Overhead view of the new store in it's infancy

So here we are celebrating the 6th year of hard work and dedication that my man Chris went through to get to this point! Congratulations to Fort Plain Antiques for a job well done! May the business continue to grow and become everything you want it to be!

6 years and counting!

Two new cupboards

2011-01-22T08:47:00.000-05:00

It's a cycle that never ends! The winter months keep us all indoors for most of the day and it's been a cold one at the shop this year. The building got some updated electric service and this meant the heat had to go out for a few critical days, when the temps dipped below zero for nights in a row. It's been tough getting the old brick building back up to the comfort zone! I think this cold has Chris motivated to get things done in the store, to keep moving and warm!!
The shop has been busy and Chris has settled into his new location on Willett. He's already been there over a year, and even still he is endlessly refining his displays and continually adding new merch. Fresh merch as he calls it. He just got a couple of really nice pieces in. And this morning we were discussing it.

One of the new cupboards

Our morning conversation:

me:
I've been pretty lame about the blog, and I wanted to take care of biz. So today I am going to do a blog post about these amazing cupboards you just got in. I was hoping you could give me a little bit more info.

him:
okay. Good idea.

me:
So where did you get these pieces? What is the source of these fine cupboards that you keep telling me about.

him:
You can tell them that Chris has been feverishly ferreting out these cupboards from secret local coveted sources.

me: while laughing:
What? Secret local coveted sources! I was thinking about what town they were from or something like that.

him: with a twinkle in his eye:
You tell them that I have been busy ferreting out my secret local sources and this was what I found, 2 really fine cupboards.

The Brick Red Cupboard

That's the best I could get out of him! So let me explain a little bit...
The white one is a step back cupboard and it's got really cool old style knobs.I love the interesting ratio between the large top section and bottom. The second cupboard has outstanding wainscoting on the inside that has a nice aged amber patina. It's a brick red color on the outside and has glass windows so you can see this gorgeous interior.

The White Step Back Cupboard

There's something warm and sentimental about an old style cupboard. They just don't make things like this anymore!!!

Amish-built Sheds

2010-07-22T15:02:00.006-04:00

Amish construction in motion

The Amish are busy folk and even on hot summer days one can hear the pounding of hammers in the Mohawk Valley as these industrious men fashion these versatile buildings here at 55 Willett St in Fort Plain.

The gazebo caught my eye right away! The free form railing is especially sweet.

Known for their craftsmanship with wood, the Amish have been working to make a series of sheds that can be transported via truck to your yard or camp. These sheds are built with lumber that at one time stood in forests here in the Mohawk Valley. These are really attractive little buildings and in these days of excess, a bit of minimalism seems appropriate!

This particular cabin has a front porch with another fantastic railing

I think these sheds are really super nice, and the extra attention that has been paid to the details makes the difference between an Amish-built shed and a prefab from Lowes.

The view from inside this cabin during construction
These buildings can be delivered to your location at a minimal cost. Email Chris if you are seeking more information on these sheds. He'll be happy help you!

The Cooperstown Show

2010-07-06T15:46:00.011-04:00

What a scorcher! Could we have found a hotter day to have an antique show? This year, it occurred during the East Coast Heat Wave. We didn't have time to complain or whine, the show must go on. Dealers gathered early in the morning to set up their wares for display. Even at 6:30, one could feel the strength of the sun. I wondered how this would affect buyers. It would get pretty hot for people to stand in the sun and look at jewelry or vintage paper.
The morning was cool enough, however, and quickly we set up our booth, before the wicked sun started to bake the field.

Chris hung a flag over the Gypsy Wagon, which had it's debut this weekend, while early buyers checked out the field.

The blinding sun was hot but Chris kept his game on all day.

Stephanie Lloyd bought this great Adirondack chair with an impressive blue finish.

I didn't help much, I must admit. I was overheated and for most of the day and I had Yoda dog with me, so mostly I hid under the tent. This was my view....
When it came time to tear down, I stepped it up and ended up being able to help Chris pack what was left of our goodies back into the Gypsy Wagon. We headed for home hot, dusty, and exhausted.
The show seemed slow, and I felt there were perhaps less vendors. It's really an unfounded judgment to make, since I could barely make it around the field to see everyone I was so hot. We did okay sale-wise. I think the profit was comparable with last year. It's a great show. In spite of the heavy heat, I like going there.
Our neighbors to the left were folks from Village Antiques in Baldwinsville, NY. Charlie was such a personable guy, and I enjoyed listening him talk with customers about antiques and life. I was happy to have such cool neighbors.

Fine baskets from Village Antiques bask in the sun, while Chris arranges and rearranges our stuff under the EZ-Up.

I really admired this display chock full of jewelry that Kathi had.
I was SO hot, and I had the dog, which kind of kept me tethered rather than the reverse! I managed to check out a really cool booth setup by Pamela Daly. She had such a nice cottage style going on...

This hutch display of hers was really sweet.

And I liked this one too! The furniture as a prop really makes the product stand out.

She had some Czech jewelry that I adored.
Of course, at every show there is some jewelry that I have to have. This year, I kept the wallet close to me and didn't open it. I was proud to come home with exactly as much money as I left with. After all, for me, the goal was to sell, not to buy!

Notes:
Village Antiques
Rte. 34 in Weedsport - a mile south of NY Thruway exit 40
Tues - Sat 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday by chance or appointment
Charlie Landon - 315-263-7261
Kathi Kimmins - 315-559-5556
8917 N. Seneca St., Weedsport, NY 13166

Pamela Daly
Romantic Cottage Decor
Rusty Rose Petals on etsy

The Gypsy Wagon - Part 2 The Naughty Minion

2010-06-29T15:05:00.005-04:00

The Hoardmaster General has proven to be a great Wagon Builder. The gypsy wagon now has really taken shape. Chris painted everything green except the wheels, which remain a nice powder blue. The trailer has sides now, so our stuff won't go careening off into the ditch on these great upstate NY roads. He set up groovy lights and even gave it a spare tire!

We have been joking back and forth about the name of this item....trailer vs. gypsy wagon. I wanted to add some kind of decoration to it, so really we could call it a gypsy wagon. So I grabbed some stencils I had from another project, and tagged the wheel wells with a nice powder blue swirly.
Naughty Network Minion!
Chris didn't complain, but honestly the stencil sucked. I am sad and sorry that I messed with his nice job. I either need to go back and fix this stencil and fix it so it is an asset, or I need to cover it up with more green paint, which of course I think we are out of! I need to learn to leave well enough alone.

The Gypsy Wagon - Part 1

2010-06-25T13:42:00.007-04:00

The General Hoardmaster is a man of generous talent, although his humbleness equals that talent and you will never get him to admit it. Every day I observe his ability to reshape and mold things, transforming them into objects of beauty or practicality. The latest of his achievements includes this beauty of a trailer that he has been constructing for the past 2 weeks or so.

Before the transformation

This is what it looked like the first time I became aware that he was going to transform this into the trailer. I love the aged blue look of it, but he informed me that I shouldn't get used to it, since it's going to get painted. The metal has to be protected or the whole unit will implode with rust.

Logistics check in the late afternoon haze

It looks so funny as a simple framework, so fragile, so open. I can't believe this will hold our precious wares as we travel over the lumps and bumps of upstate New York roads. I can't wait to see the magic that Chris spins as he puts this together.

The rusty blue hitch cover

Cooperstown on July 4

2010-06-22T09:09:00.004-04:00

Ever since I've known Chris, he has been doing the Cooperstown Antique Show in Wood Bull Field on the weekend of the Fourth of July. The show falls right on July 4 this year, and I look forward to stocking up a nice booth and seeing YOU! The Hoardmaster General is working on creating a trailer that we can use to haul our wares. He calls it a trailer. I call it the gypsy wagon! Hopefully, it will be done in time for July 4, and we can test it out.
The Cooperstown Show is organized by Wood Bull Antiques in Milford, NY. This year there is new management, with Steven and Hillary Eklund and Graham Briggs joining Tom and Donna. I can't wait to see what new things they have in store for us this year. They are great people, and really easy to deal with. They provide food vendors for the show and try to make sure that there is plenty to see.

Since Cooperstown is the Baseball capital of the world, we try to save up interesting sports memorabilia for this show. It's hard to come by, but we will have some goodies to show and sell. I know Chris likes to bring a nice assortment of items to the shows. We are building boxes already!

Here's the skinny:
At the Cooperstown Antiques Show, 75 to 100 dealers will sell their wares on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early birds will be welcome from 6:30 to 9 a.m. It will be at Wood Bull Antiques at 3920 State Highway 28 in Milford. For information, call 286-9021.

Getting Serious

2010-06-20T19:21:00.003-04:00

No time for a pretty picture story today! The summer is upon us and the frenzy is in full swing. Summertime is crazy for us. Chris has his hands full with a heavy load of tasks. There's all the things a person usually has to do at home during the warm months, such as mowing the lawn, weed-wacking, firewood gathering, and various home repair projects that have to all fit in there somewhere. As if that isn't enough, summertime is also the boomtime of garage sales, yard sales, porch sales, flea markets, shows, and town-side sales! These sales rotate from town to town and are a continual treasure hunt. It all requires time and fortitude. It gets serious.
The economy has us all shaking our heads in dismay while we scramble to pay off all debts as fast as possible. We are no exception, as we plunge into more markets, attempt to disperse our goods further from the home base, expand our internet presence, and spend hard earned dollars on advertising. There's so much that has to be done, it's sometimes overwhelming. It's getting serious.
But in the middle of all this bustling activity, the most amazing thing has happened. The partnership of Chris and Julie is going to another level. Chris proposed to me on June 6...and I accepted! The crazy general hoardmaster and the network minion will soon team up together as one and live happily ever after. This has caused me to step back and consider the role that I have already taken on as his cheerleader and helper. I have not been too much of a player up-to-date. It's time for me to pump it up and become more than just a side kick. I want to help Chris as much as possible so that the store can thrive and realize it's full potential! It's a lot of work for him alone, and I hate to see him so drained with the responsibility of it all. I need to take really good care of him, after all, he's going to be my sweet husband soon. I want him around for awhile. It's getting really serious!

Happy Birthday Chris

2010-05-04T15:46:00.006-04:00

Happy birthday said the cat.

Happy birthday said the rabbit.

Happy birthday said another rabbit.

Happy birthday Chris, from all your friends at Fort Plain Antiques!!!

Spring at the shop

2010-05-04T15:22:00.009-04:00

It's been awhile since we posted here at the blog. The network minion apologizes for the delay. Our silence should not be interpreted as a lack of activity!
We are lucky to have a local Amish community here. They reside in and around Fort Plain and we welcome their rural style of life. Out on the side of Fort Plain Antiques we have the opportunity to sell some Amish sheds. They are carefully constructed by our Amish neighbors. There are more outbuildings set up now and I believe they are larger and more elaborate.

I love this rural gazebo...the ceiling is outstanding.

These 2 sheds are also up for sale....altho the snow now is gone!

Chris had a chance to put the big letters up on the side of the building. He had seen older letters in a Luxuray ad from years ago. He repurposed the letters that were on the old shop prior to the move by painting them white. He made new letters that matched for "Vintage Wood" for Robert and his wood business. The letters look outstanding and there is no problem seeing this all from the thruway. Hopefully this can promote some new business.

The large Antiques letters from the front

The Vintage Wood letters from the side

The Story of Jon Cring

2010-02-16T10:13:00.008-05:00

On a given day, you never know what's going to happen.
Chris got a call last week from a man named Jon Cring. He is an independent movie producer from Tennessee, recently located to Albany, who is working on a short film. Apparently, he was shooting a scene in a local strip hotel and he needed some props for the shoot.
He met Chris at Fort Plain Antiques early Saturday morning, before the filming, to borrow some weird stuff. I say he came to the right place!

Director Jon Cring, searching high and low in the store for funky stuff.
(He didn't have to go very far!)

I looked him up on the net in doing research for this blog post, and found this article about his ongoing project on The Gainesville Sun site...
"In the days of multi-million dollar movie budgets, the members of the Extra/Ordinary Film Project challenged themselves and stretched the boundaries of typical film production — completing 12 feature-length films in 20 months while maintaining a shoestring budget for each one."
I am assuming that this flick he is filming is one of the 12 films.
So Jon and his wife Tracy came thru the store like a storm. We figured he had a certain "look" he was trying to achieve, and in a whirlwind they grabbed a group of crazy items and left to go shoot at Palatine Motel. We didn't know what to think!

Jon and Tracy Cring, posing with their loot

The whole escapade got me curious to find out exactly what would be done with such a strange array of props. I headed over to Palatine to see what was going on.
At the motel, I knew it was going to be kind of insane. Inside of one of the motel rooms, the mayhem ensued. Outside the room, locals dressed in outrageous costumes and mulled about waiting to be called for the shoot.

Jon Crings' minions, scurrying to create the "set"

Local extra hopefuls dressed in costume and stormed the door

I was quite amused at what they ended up doing with the props. I didn't stick around to see what the filming was about, cuz there was a lot of confusion. Besides, I am sure that Jon needed to gather his wits about him in order to direct this crazy scene.

A wall of wallpaper, crooked paintings, and a teletubby!

The next day, Jon called us and we met him at Fort Plain Antiques so he could return the props. All went well, according to him.
We were glad to loan our unusual wares to these folks. It's not every day that we get to help promote culture in the Mohawk Valley. I can't wait to see the flick. I am sure it is absurdity at it's best!

Putting it all together

2010-02-04T13:49:00.006-05:00

It' s already been such a busy year. Moving into the new store has taken all available energy and fortitude. The massive amount of merchandise that needed to be unpacked has dwindled and Chris is finally sleeping at night again. It was a serious job moving all these treasures across town and then setting them up in that special way that he has.
Considering that the shelving and displays have to be set up before the boxes can get unpacked, and then the boxes themselves...it's quite the task.

Mr. Rooster keeps watch

Coal stove in the corner glowing with warmth
There's a nice glow in this new place, especially downstairs near the beefy coal stove. I love that thing and the heat it gives off. Chris and I were worried about the ability to heat this new massive space, but this stove does do the job. The temps this winter have been pretty moderate, tho and we are thankful. Every warm day is another dollar in heating saved!

On the way upstairs looking into the linen room
Chris put some panels in the ceiling of the linen room to help keep the heat in the lower part of the tower. Since there are 4 stories, there's a lot of room for the heat to just suck up and blow away. This lowered ceiling seems to really help, because now it's warm and toasty upstairs, perfect for pausing and fingering thru piles of luscious lacey linens.

Looking thru to the back of the shop
Keeping busy is the name of the game, and there's no lack of things to do. Chris is busy trying to finish setting up the new place, knowing full well that spring is right around the corner. That's when he will get super busy and these other indoor tasks have to take a back seat.

This weekend Fort Plain Antiques travels to Shenendehowa High School for the So. Saratoga County Woman's Club 34th Annual Antique Show & Sale. He has done this show ever since I met him and I have tagged along. It's a great show, with so much to look at. More info about this show can be found here. See ya on Sunday!

So. Saratoga Cnty Woman's Club 34th Annual Antique Show & Sale Sunday
Feb 7 10:00a to 4:00p at Shenendehowa High School East, Clifton Park, NY

The Southern Saratoga County Womans Club's 34th Annual Antique Show & Sale, Sun. Feb 7, 10am-4pm, Shenendehowa HS East on Rte 146, Clifton Park, 2 mi. west of Northway Exit 9. Admission $3, children under 12 free. Appraisal of small items for $3 each from 12-3. Refreshments available. Funds raised used for Hunger projects and scholarships.

Holidazed At Fort Plain Antiques

2009-12-15T11:13:00.005-05:00

The little Christmas tree in the front window
The season came upon us so quickly. The move from Main St. to Willett St. got finalized just a week or so ago as the final pile 'o stuff made it to the new location. Chris has been focusing his attention on making this new space everything he dreams of.
The move was daunting to say the least, but there was no time to whine about it. The holiday season is here already and Santa's elves have a new headquarters! Altho Chris is working like mad to try to break out new merchandise and also to unpack some of the nicer things from the old store, he still has to find time to make the holidays come alive in the store. This looked like a job for the me, the Network Minion! I visited last Saturday, before the stormy snow hit, and help put up decorations. We put up a tree downstairs next to the horse in the window. After that, I dragged poor Chris out into the now raging wind and snow, and he got up on the ladder and put up lights outside in the front doorway. It looks great, and now this end of the street has come to life!

The snow came down as we put the lights up outside, but now it's Christmas time at Fort Plain Antiques
This has been a great opportunity for Chris to roll over some inventory and get some different things into the store. It's the perfect place to shop for that special something you haven't been able to find yet. I love to help him put merch on the shelves. I find so many odd and unusual little things and I covet them all! Bad little Network Minion!

OPENING DAY on Willett Street-Today!

2009-11-12T11:01:00.013-05:00

What an incredible journey it has been for Fort Plain Antiques!
The new store has taken an amazing amount of energy and fortitude. Chris and Robert have been working towards this common goal for months and finally we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Work was intermittent. Some days a lot of things got accomplished. Other days, it seemed as the world came to a standstill. The Hoardmaster General worked thru these fits and starts and one day in October it became clear that this move was going to happen at last.

C'mon in and let's take a look at the progress. Chris picked out this great door. I simply have luv for the doorknob!

The transformation unfolded slowly, and now the fruits of everyone's labor can be enjoyed.
Chris is trying to create a unique ambiance in his new store. The structure of this new building lends itself to an entirely new feeling. The Main Street store was like Grandmas closet with it's low ceilings. The shape of the store was a simple rectangle. Although Chris filled this store to the rafters with crazy collectibles, the store itself didn't really offer anything to the setting. The new store on Willett St. is directly the opposite. 30 pane windows with brick arches, seemingly ancient thick beams, a balcony, vintage tin ceilings, and a 4 story tower are just a few of the details that capture your attention. These features provide a super backdrop for the myriad goodies that Chris has for sale. I loved the way the empty store accented the architecture. I ended up taking a whole bunch of stark photos in black and white to be used in my artwork later on.

This is the groovy back door with it's cute archway. Robert made sure this blended into the building nicely don't you think?

Late in the day, looking towards the front entrance.

You can see how big the 30 pane windows are in this shot. It took Chris mega hours to completely restore these for usage. Up close, they retain that old wavy glass look.

The front door, from the inside.
It won't look this pristine and empty again.

Black and white pic of the textile room that is the 2nd floor of the tower. I get to decorate and fill this room! I am so excited!

The calm before the storm. Chris surveys the new shop in the late afternoon sun. The store won't look this empty ever again.

The majority of the move happened last week. Robert supplied some happy Amish help! Chris said they were jolly guys and they really helped break the tension on such a busy day. Hard work it was, and it took till the wee hours of the night to finish moving.

The huge wad o' stuff in the middle of the floor. After the first moving day, it became clear just how good the Hoardmaster General is at being a packrat!

The massive pile seemed so daunting at first. Chris came home from work that night with such a long face. I thought he would be excited about the move and his new adventure. But the huge task of making this new store his new home was still ahead of him. He dove in immediately and began arranging his counter area. He created a basic aisle structure and started making sense of the pile. This process will continue for weeks and months. I am happy to be a part of this unfolding. It's going to be a long and satisfying journey.

The pile that faces us! These precious things will all find new homes on new shelves in the new store!

Willett St!

2009-08-04T14:51:00.009-04:00

Fort Plain Antiques has been running like mad all summer! It's garage sale season and Chris is out and about the countryside seeking out those odd and unusual items that you probably want in your house. Savvy buyers know that the early bird get the worm. It's work to get up early and be one of the first to arrive at these town-wide sales. Treasure hunting is one of Chris' favorite activities, it's his passion! Summer goes by quickly.
But this isn't the reason that we are starting to get super busy. It's been a fast summer, but the work has just begun! We are preparing to move to a much nicer and larger location!!!

This is the main space. It looks rough now, but wait till it's done! Sweet.
There is a beautiful vintage brick building on Willett Street in Fort Plain. It's very large, and when it's finished it will house several businesses, including us. On one end of the building is a super tall 4-story tower. This is the end that Fort Plain Antiques will be moving into!
A lot of work is getting done to ready the space for us. The wiring is already finished and next will be the painting. Amish folk have been working on the internal construction.

We have a wall that now separates us from the machine shop! Soon there will be flooring on the balcony, a nice spanking paint job, and a smooth concrete floor.

Before winter, we hope to be in our new location. There is so much work to do before then. Just the sorting and packing of the items in the present location is a daunting task, not to mention all the prep at the new place. Have no fear, Chris is hard at work facilitating this move. It's going to be a couple of VERY busy months, I fear! I am so excited!

Reflections

2009-06-05T08:33:00.006-04:00

A reflection in the front window of Fort Plain Antiques
I was in the store yesterday and caught Chris in the act of cleaning and rearranging. There are so many different things that are for sale. It's a challenge to find creative ways to display them. The variety of interesting objects can be staggering, so it's easy to get item overload. I was reflecting on the various pieces of furniture that have come and gone. Sometimes these furniture pieces make the ideal displays. On a dresser, for example, you can set up a brush and comb set, a lamp, or a pretty doily. But when the dresser is sold, those things have to find new homes, so the store requires constant upkeep. There are some larger displays of collections of things, such as the Blue Willow, that don't change as often. Chris leaves this table up for awhile, giving Blue Willow lovers a chance to add to their collections. When most pieces will have sold, another display can take it's place.

Some of the Blue Willow resting on lace

Everyone loves jewelry! I am so fond of wearing different rings, necklaces...it's really one of my favorite things. I can't help but spend time looking thru the budget jewelry counter now and then to see what I can't live without. This is a jewelry recyclers dream! I have found precious pieces on this table and I simply can't resist fondling things almost every time I am in the store. The super fine jewelry Chris keeps under the front counter. I always have to peek in there, too. Irresistible!

The budget jewelry display. The better jewels are under the counter.

Even though Chris shows me a lot of things as he gets them, I am always finding something I haven't seen before when I get to the store because he keeps adding stuff! I marvel at what a lively business this really is.

A sense of humor is required when creating displays

Our new chair

2009-05-27T14:52:00.005-04:00

The chair and the vintage turtle freeloader that also came home to Mapletown!

This weekend we were out and about the neighborhood scouting out for goodies. It was Memorial Day weekend and really it's not the best time for garage and yard sales. Most of the people are on vacation, or having barbecues. Shopping really isn't in the radar, unless of course it is raining.
Which it wasn't this past weekend. It was beautiful. We still managed to come across some interesting stuff. We got this chair.
As soon as I saw it I loved the bizarre animal print. I am supposed to wear glasses, and of course I wasn't>so I didn't see that this animal print was simply tacked to the seat! It didn't matter much. I loved the leather seat and backing...the crazy quarter sewn oak sides....the simple little scroll on the railing...immediate luv luv luv for the chair! I exclaimed out loud about it and told Chris it was SO cool. He's sweet on me I think, and he indulged me. We got to keep it! Now it sits in our den by the woodstove.
There was also this vintage turtle. There he sat forlorn, just waiting for someone to take him home. He looks quite handsome against that animal print!! My sweetie let me keep him too.

Mr. turtle posed for a pic

It's a lot of fun scrounging with my guy for antiques. I don't go with him all the time. It's his business and I don't want to cloud him with me being there as a distraction. What a cool diversion to be able to go with him and see all kinds of interesting things. I have to be careful. He's a very generous man. If I show too much that I really like something, he most kindly gives it to me. And I know that if he gives it to me, it isn't on the shelf at the store making him any money to live on. Times are tight for everyone these days, and that includes us! It's nice to know he is such a sweetheart, though. I am working at keeping my needs to a minimum. It's better for the planet, and better for you. It means more stuff at the store, and less stuff at my house!!

Mr. Chris did not pose for this pic!

Springfest in Fort Plain

2009-05-14T15:25:00.003-04:00

The weather is gnarly today. The wind blows and blows out there. It makes it hard to put some choice juicy antiques out on the sidewalk for people to see as they drive by. The rain could damage things, the wind could blow things away....Rain just isn't good for business!
This weekend there is a Springfest event going on in Fort Plain. There's rides and bands in the park, a re-enactment at the museum, and here at Fort Plain Antiques, we are in the celebrating mood! In honor of the Springfest, we are throwing a 30% sale! You can come on in and find that special item you have been looking for and also get yourself a special deal!

Saturday at the Textile Show in Nelliston

2009-05-11T10:39:00.008-04:00

Stuff from Fort Plain Antiques for sale at the show

Saturday was my first time alone without Chris at a show representing Fort Plain Antiques. I was a wreck in the morning...Where's the tags? I need a pen! Those boxes aren't going to fit in there! I would like something nicer to put these in...mini panic! Good grief I was still feeling as tho I was forgetting things even after I left the house!
I got there relatively early at 9:30. The show started at 11:00 and I figured I had plenty of time to set up.
Good thing I got there when I did! We misread the contract and so I didn't realize I would need tables! Luckily, Donna Reston, the super nice lady who was helping organize the event, had an extra table in her car. I am grateful to her for loaning it to me. Without it, I would have had to drive to the store (10 minutes away) and bring tables back. After I arrived, I inquired as to where our booth was located. It was upstairs! GASP! I hadn't considered having to tote the entire load of vintage goods up the narrow vintage stairway! Hello stairmaster. No yoga for me today.
It was quite humid and sunny and carrying these things up the stairs made me break out into a monstrous sweat. How embarrassing, and certainly not conducive to sales with me standing there with soaking wet sweaty hair! Nonetheless, I managed to get everything up there by myself and an hour later, the thankful the sweaty hair was gone. Once I stopped running up and down the stairs, I cooled right off and the rest of the day I kept comfortable.

The doll booth
My booth was located next to a dollmaker and her daughter.--I didn't get their names, sorry! (bad blogger!) The mother made beautiful primitive dolls and her daughter was hand sewing colonial style clothing. She had a fabulous corset there that she had made and I couldn't brag enough about it for her! It was a beautiful work of art to see something so utterly intricate sewn in so beautifully by hand. I totally loved the little sewn pigs they had! Unfortunately for me and my buying fetish, the wallet is closed for business at the moment. I am working very hard to make money, not to spend it!
Molly McKay was there in the booth across from me. She had a bunch of sweet vintage clothing, including a most fine black riding jacket I was coveting. (note: i was also coveting the size 2 body it would take to fit into it!) She told me about her and her husbands' new antique shop in Mohawk. I believe she said the name was Angelo's Antiques. I can't wait to go and check it out!

Molly setting up her booth, Dori in the background
The Mustard Seed, a great little shop located in the Stone Mill Antique Center in Little Falls, brought some sweet little cross stitch gingham aprons. They were in such great shape I couldn't believe they were vintage!
Dori, who is Chris' brother Johns' girlfriend, and thereby somehow like a sister-in-law to me, that is if both Chris and John married us, (HA! don't you just love modern day relative naming?) brought along an entire entourage of stuff. She's always loaded with linens and she just adores vintage textiles. So the upstairs was chockful of interesting things that of course I wanted to buy! I had to really try to behave to not spend anything at the other booths. I did manage to keep my promise to myself and I went home without spending a dime! Yay!
I am disappointed in the pictures that I took while I was there. I was hoping to get some shots that I could share here on the blog that would show the great stuff that was there. Unfortunately, I was a bit nervous since I was on my own. Next time, I promise better views of all the cool stuff!
Downstairs in the main rooms there were demonstrations of weaving, embroidery, spinning, and rug crocheting. I have to mention that there was a gentleman who was spinning, isn't that great?? Joy was there making her rugs that I covet so much...

It was really cool to see the textile arts still thriving. I enjoyed several conversations with woman that are heavily involved with fiber craft. It was all so inspiring that last night I started an embroidery project!!

Vintage Textiles On Display

2009-05-07T16:11:00.002-04:00

Chris and I have assembled a sweet 'lil pile 'o textiles for display at the Nellis Tavern this Saturday. I am excited that this will be my first time breaking out on my own as a representative of Fort Plain Antiques. We have spent evenings as of late picking out homespun Irish linens, hand sewn beaded remnants, pieces of lace and more! I can't wait to share these goodies!

Here's the press release:
On Saturday, May 9, 2009, the 1747 Nellis Tavern of St. Johnsville will host the 3rd Textile and Fiber Show and Sale, sponsored by the Palatine Settlement Society. Donna Reston will display antique quilts.

There will be vendors with textile and needlework items for sale, including antique clothing, linens and sewing notions by Dori Decann, Molly McKay, Chris Takacs and Julie Sadler; also antique quilts by Joan Draus; herbal
linen sprays, sachets and vintage aprons by Julie Webster; folk art dolls and period clothing by Cheryl and Emil Loadwick. Other vendors will be demonstrating the following arts and skills: machine embroidered handmade items such as purses, toy bags and table runners by Sally Kuehl; knitting by Sandy Lane; and rug crocheting.

Volunteers will be displaying and demonstrating for anyone to learn the following: spinning for kids to add beads for jewelry by Barbara Hojohn of Circuit Spinsters, hand appliqué by Karen Nabors, and Brazillian embroidery by Jean Quick.

Refreshments will be served. Admission is $3.00. Hours are 11:00am - 4:00pm. For further information call Mary Nellis Davis at 315-866-2619 or Sandy Nellis Lane at 518-762-8259.

3 years ago

2009-05-06T14:53:00.001-04:00

One day 3 years ago I found myself freshly divorced and in the mood to concentrate on my own life and interests. I am a collage artist at heart, and I enjoy frequent treasure hunting trips to find ephemera and strange objects for my artwork. Naturally, this sort of preference leads me to garage sales, flea markets and occasional trips to local antique stores.
I was living in Fort Plain at the time and I noticed that there were a few different antique shops there that I had not visited. Fort Plain Antiques stood out among them all, with a large sign above the front door made of hand hewn letters. I wanted to get in there and see what kinds of goodies could be had. And so I strolled on in.
The proprietor was speaking with another customer, so I headed for the aisles and began to stare in wonder and amusement at the various displays. This store has a little bit of everything! Funky furniture, knick knacks, kitchen accessories, linens and doilies, jewelry, iron wheels, odd farm implements, lamps, little tiny dollies, the list goes on and on!

As I searched the shelves and looked to see what things would end up coming home with me, I could hear the owner in the background with another customer. His kind and compassionate voice really struck me, and I ended up deciding I wanted to talk with this man....
Chris and I hit it off really well and found we had similar interests and a common sense of style. We worked on an art project together as we got to know each other and soon enough we were spending every evening together eating dinner and discussing our past, present, and future.

Now we are living together in rural bliss in Canajoharie, NY. Chris runs the store and I am his part time right hand girl. I still work full time as a graphic artist/webmaster/computer tech...but our goal is to join forces and start running this whole production together sometime in the near future. Until then, I will be your personal reporter, relaying pictures and experiences as Chris and I build our future together.