Secondhand retailers dominate downtown FXBG

by ELIZABETH KYNE

Staff Writer

Alongside brands and businesses unique to downtown Fredericksburg, there is a large selection of secondhand stores to browse. 

Secondhand shops are unlike average stores because their stock is curated by the owners from donations or deals with outside resellers. The stock varies from antiques and collectibles to modern treasures donated by the community.

There are three bigger “mall” style antique stores downtown. The Fredericksburg Antique Mall & Clock Shop and R & R Antiques are seated side by side, divided by Willaim Street. They are both two-story antique malls but hold very different stock. 

While all of the downtown antique stores have the average collection of vintage clothes and memorabilia, Mall & Clock has several large sections full of unique and more specific products. 

On the top floor, there is a large section of assorted clothing. Most of the clothes are vintage, but the dates vary. Racks separate the clothes into categories: jackets, coats, sleepwear, pants and shelves for hats and belts. Nearby is a selection of children’s toys, including lots of Beanie Babies, the toy collector’s bread and butter. There are several sections for various types of physical media, including books, DVDs, CDs, cassette tapes, vinyl, VHS tapes and comics. Towards the front, there is a more classic antique-type display including a large section of wartime photos and memorabilia. 

The basement has even more clothes and heaps of furniture, everything from lamps to couches to vintage signs. A small room is packed full of Christmas decorations of every kind, teddy bears, fake trees and smiling Santas all crammed into one corner. This is a treasure hunt area. You never know what’s waiting.

Specialty sections containing items from specific companies or for specific interests are common, such as a top-floor booth dedicated to everything Disney or a collection of vintage photo frames.

R&R follows a similar mall layout but is more dedicated to its vintage products. There are more vendor booths with obvious specialties; Asian furniture, vintage toys, wartime antiques, coins, jewelry, card games and sports helmets. 

R&R allows its vendors to bring their unique passions to the store by organizing it in this manner. It’s good to check back regularly, as you never know what might be added to the stock. 

R&R is also a wonderful place for looking for high-end, expensive antiques, such as designer bags kept in pristine condition. A lot of the vintage merchandise is displayed with a date or label that helps identify the specifics of the object. 

Any collector knows the pain of spending hours researching an unidentified purchase afterward. R&R’s labeling helps avoid the hassle entirely.

The third antique mall is the true wildcard of the lot. Caroline Square LLC has an unparalleled variety. 

Caroline Square’s selection of children’s toys is unparalleled. There are shelves upon shelves of dolls and stuffed toys stacked together. They all vary in style and size, a Madame Alexander doll might be sitting next to a Garfield plush or wedged between two stacks of Beanie Babies. This is the spot for toys of the soft nature. Alongside the collection of toys, dolls and clothes, Caroline Square has sections of specific dedication, such as a candy area. 

The store’s top floor holds a goldmine of creative tools for crafting of all kinds. Sewing patterns, stamps, cutting dies and embellishments for all projects. 

Alongside antique sales, there is a large section towards the back of the store for a variety of spiritual practices, namely left-hand paths. If you ever wanted to buy incense, a metal poster of your favorite slasher, an American girl doll and some taffy in one shopping trip, Caroline Square is perfect for you. Collectors of niche and specific hobbies will have much luck here.

If the mall style of antique shopping is too much for you, don’t worry, Downtown has plenty of shops left. Oldies But Goodies Antiques and Collectibles LLC has similar merchandise to these malls but is more easily navigated. 

What sets Oldies But Goodies aside is a section towards the back of the first floor devoted to photography. There is a large selection of cameras, mostly film cameras, and a row of beautifully preserved old-style camcorders. There is a large selection of brands and models. 

Oldies But Goodies offers multiple boxes of camera accessories at extremely low prices for those who have already found their dream camera. Photography is a notably expensive hobby, and Oldies But Goodies is a rare gem for great deals on materials. 

Blue Shark Collectibles is the place for fans of music, sci-fi and comic books. The Star Wars display in their window shows the safe haven for geeks inside. The store is divided into several large sections for these categories and more. The collections inside are neatly organized into alphabetized or otherwise labeled boxes, making it easy to flip through and find your favorite story. 

About half of the second room is full of comic books and Superhero memorabilia and the other half is dedicated to all types of physical music media. Music nerds will especially appreciate this shop.

For bookworms, there’s Riverby Books, a second-hand store that divides its content on shelves split by genre. Riverby books come from all time periods and sell for extremely low prices. 

There are lots of specialty books for things such as philosophy or art and various antique books for sale. Combined with a children’s section, there is something for every reader in Riverby books to enjoy. Many of the books were originally manufactured in a smaller count, making them uncommon treats for a reader who might pick one out. It’s impossible to give a suitable preview of Riverby books with the sheer range inside. 

With such a range of fascinating and unique stores close to campus, there’s no reason not to set out today and explore the beautiful community around UMW.