Antique Hunting Season is Underway in the MidCoast!

Chilly mornings and falling leaves can mean only one thing in the MidCoast – Antique Hunting Season is here! The summer crowds are gone, but antique shops large and small are open and offer some great finds and reduced late-season prices. To make your hunting more enjoyable follow these tips.

Plan Your Hunting Trip – Check the open hours and days as some shops may have limited hours this time of year.

Explore Multiple Shops – Nearly every shop specializes in different types of antiques.

Negotiate! – Don’t hesitate to politely ask for a discount this time of year.

Take Your Time – That’s how you’ll discover the best antiques!

 

 

Wiscasset

This pretty village is home to many shops and the Wiscasset Antiques Mall with more than a hundred dealers. Located just outside Wiscasset on Route 1, you’ll find a constantly changing and vast inventory of high-quality antiques including period and custom furniture, silver, glass, pottery, lamps, paintings and prints, primitive, collectibles, and of course, plenty of ‘ephemera’!

 

 

Brunswick

Located in a restored textile mill on the Androscoggin River, Cabot Mill Antiques is Maine’s largest multi-dealer destination. More than 160 displays, 16-foot mill ceilings, huge sun-filled windows, and river views add to the shopping experience. You can spend hours looking at furniture, watches, vintage clothing, pottery, sterling silver, books, tools, linens, clocks, quilts and much more.

 

 

Newcastle

Indian Trail Antiques is a large barn with four floors of antiques just a mile off Route 1 in Newcastle. This 1800s barn has large collections of just about everything starting from the 18th century. Vintage toys, nautical and military sections, antique motorcycles, gas and oil signs, and cottage and camp gear are all on display. On the third floor, you’ll find mid-century modern and industrial period goods and vintage clothing.

 

 

 

Searsport

The Swan Lake Tool Barn has a wonderful collection of architectural items, marine hardware, and woodworking tools. The barn is open only on Saturdays but is a must-see shop. Speaking of barns, look for the Treasure and Trash Barn – the name says it all. Also, check out Penobscot Books with over 40,000 art books, monographs, and antique Asian collectibles. While in Searsport, learn more about seafaring history at the Penobscot Marine Museum.

 

 

 

Rockland

With multiple antique stores like the Antiques Etcetera, and terrific vintage clothing at Curator on Main Street, Rockland has a lot to offer. The two shopping floors inside Curator are filled with consigned clothing ranging from the 1930s to the present. There are real finds here that are updated frequently with inventory from cedar closets in attics and other secret storage places.

 

 

Northport

The first thing you’ll notice inside the Blue Dolphin Antiques Group is spectacular brass, crystal, and gothic chandeliers lighting up the shop. The owners have a thing about chandeliers and period furniture. Handsome desks, bureaus, sideboards, chairs, and tables are on display throughout the shop. And for a festive dining table, enjoy looking at the crystal and porcelain wares.

 

 

 

Warren

Medomak Gallery and Dusty Shelf Antiques are two shops located near each other on Route 1. Wonderful wood decoys, American folk art, and arts and crafts pieces are the specialties at Medomak Gallery. The owners are happy to share their extensive knowledge of folk art and antique decoys. The nearby  Dusty Shelf Antiques is hard to miss with dozens of colorful lobster buoys on display outside.

 

 

 

Belfast

Belfast is home to several antique shops including Ambiance which specializes in antique lamps and home décor. If you love period lamps and small décor pieces, you’ve found the place! Just a few miles north of town, Robin’s Nest Consignment is filled with furniture, house goods, and odds and ends that include some nice antique finds.

 

 

 

Lincolnville

Just steps from the ocean in the town of Lincolnville is a place that showcases notable antiques and the work of Maine artists: Lincolnville Fine Art and Antiques Gallery. Vintage toys, bird carvings, jewelry, stained glass, and fine antique furniture share the gallery space with Maine-created pottery, paintings, and sculpture. A few miles south on Route 1, is The Red Barn Marketplace which is home to 25 antique vendors.

 

While you’re out hunting for antiques, here are more ideas for exploring, and you’ll see that Maine’s MidCoast is More than a Stopover.