What happened to Annandale’s antique community?
About half a dozen years ago, Annandale had a thriving community of antique dealers, mostly centered around Little River Turnpike. At one point, the Annandale Chamber of Commerce even promoted Annandale as an antique center.
Unfortunately, many antique dealers are no longer in business, and some of those that are left are barely hanging on. The antiques mall next to The Frame Factory, which was recently destroyed in a fire, has lots of empty spaces.
Milt Margolis, an antiques dealer who’s been at the Annandale mall for 15 years, blames the decline on several factors, including the growing popularity of EBay, poor management, and the general economic downturn. Margolis, who specializes in vintage radios, says antique malls in Woodbridge and Dumfries have already closed. Perhaps the plan to redevelop Annandale as an urban village will include a plan for a revitalized antiques community.
It's been a buyer's market in antiques for a number of years now. I don't think eBay, or the economy has much to do with the decline in interest.
People have very busy lives, have little spare time to care for 'things' that aren't useful and practical; and, the prevalance of all the design shows in the past 5 years pushing the clean, mid-century 'look' has taken its toll.
We've had several consignment shops for 20 years and the change in interest was noticeable starting 7 years ago. People want new, modern, simple clean lives and less clutter in their lives. They don't necessarily care about quality either. There will probably be whole chapters, an entire 'period' in the interior design books of the future entitled 'Knock Down Furniture' – veneered particleboard that comes in a box and you assemble!