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by Rosemary Lee Potter
Special to Tropical Breeze
It’s not really two for the price of
one here, but instead, with one visit, the good chance to see two
enticing slants on pleasurable unique shopping and collecting.
Often such a story is just by chance. More likely I’ve
dropped into an antiques and collectible shop and there’s but
one owner, who, if fortunately busy with customers, cannot just
then give a tour/talk about her appealing goods or point out
unusual items. Or, it’s a huge consignment place with just a
few folks wandering around monitoring, where they will talk yes,
but most times there’s no passion. Most hurried interest is
at the front check-out counter.
None of that lackluster collecting
experience for me recently when I wandered around Dandridge, TN,
the state’s second oldest city after Jonesborough. By sheer
luck a phone book had included Rachel’s Attic, which was that
very day involved in their short distance move to share a clever
upstairs lodging ensconced with another appealing market —
The Dandridge General Store.
What a combo! I could have spent hours in
this combined shop, browsing and definitely buying, if I
hadn’t been even more interested in the three friendly,
passionate proprietors of this spacious, doubly, definitely
delightful shop. I chatted with Rachel Glenn and her mother, Ann
Goddard Jones, owners of Rachel’s Attic, and with Barbara
Garrow Jones, owner of Dandridge General Store, as each spoke about
their new neighborly enterprise. From where I’d been invited
to plunk down cozily in a rocker, it all looked busy, determined,
knowledgeable and practical, which is great ambience for the
customer, and hopefully fun for these three experienced business
women.
When I tell you that there wasn’t a
thing I asked about the many lovely and desirable items for sale
that these dealers did not enthusiastically provide information,
mind you, one at a time giving me their attention, the others
meantime continuing shop business tasks.
So what “things” was I asking
about? Having already decided to do my next holiday shopping here,
I was drawn to many, many items well-displayed in big glass
counters and the drawers and crannies of vintage furniture. The
General Store also is a specific store — with jars of country
jellies and coffees, Scottish cookies, and both antique,
well-crafted jewelry, and handmade, colorfully decorated, whimsical
children’s clothing. I was really drawn to fascinating watch
bracelets which incorporate small items called
“smalls,” tiny antique bits and pieces, as links, for
example, enclosing a typewriter key, a scrap of a map, or a bird
print. Here modern craft remembers vintage days!
How about beautiful bottle stoppers made
from door knobs or a pair of child-sized blue metal kitchen sinks
with inset enamel metal bowls? These sinks — for children or
adults — were before my “modern” toy kitchen
days. However, my South Carolina great aunt used to have a sink
like that on her back porch where we’d wash up. I’m
wondering perhaps, if instead of for child’s play, these
little blue sinks might be old days traveling salesman’s
scaled-down models.
Another line of goods in The General Store
is a charming paper collection such as notes, bookmarks, and
greeting cards from the Spotted Chicken Studio, designed by Karen
Hollingsworth. Each of the items includes a folksy, somewhat
hidden, spotted chicken design. Unique, also is a line of
one-of–a-kind jewelry, fashioned from antique buttons as
authenticated by its Louisiana manufacturing firm,
Grandmother’s Buttons. General Store: 865-397-3977 or e-mail
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Rachel’s Attic also has fascinating
merchandise. Antique postcards? There are boxes and boxes of them,
each in a protective envelope and categorized by states and
occasions such as birthdays or holidays. Then look you must at the
Depression and the Carnival glass and all the pretty china, beaded
bags, and ladies hats — from the days when ladies always wore
them.
Ann explained that customers can also shop
at Rachel’s Attic online at
www.rubylane.com/shops/rachelsattic there to enjoy some of the
shopping hospitality I experienced. On the day I wrote this I saw
681 well-photographed items for sale or sale pending on the site.
Beats driving or flying anywhere this afternoon!
With Dandridge, the second-oldest city in
Tennessee, there must be occasions when a visit to Rachel’s
Attic and The Dandridge General Store is a part of the big days.
THERE ARE! In fact I just missed one. An annual one-day
extravaganza — The June Jubilee! I hear there was non-stop
entertainment and fun including food, music, and dancing all day!
According to Ann the two stores were “very busy” on
Jubilee day.
While I’ve had to put the June
Jubilee on my calendar for next year, I’ve right now put the
Dandridge Scots-Irish Festival on this year’s To-Do list,
Saturday, Sept. 22. Call 865-397-2616. There’ll be a street
festival, pipes and drums, food, of course.
There’s much else to see around old
Dandridge, other shops, good food, the lakes. If you’re
visiting there, you’re pretty sure to have a collecting
adventure.
© 2007 Rosemary Lee Potter. All
Rights Reserved.
Rosemary Lee Potter is a confirmed victim
of the collecting bug and can be reached by e-mail at
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or write to her in care of Tropical Breeze,
P.O. Box 585, Safety Harbor, FL 34695.
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