Antiquing In Plymouth, Connecticut : Visiting Antiques At The Green

Way Off The Beaten Path: Antiquing in Plymouth, Connecticut

Way off the beaten path, I stumbled upon "Antiques At The Green" in Plymouth, Connecticut, a onetime Apothecary now converted into a quaint shop selling antiques, collectibles, country gifts and decor. As I stepped back into time, I was greeted by Helen, the owner who made me feel quite at home

Making Customers Feel At Home

Helen offered me some chocolates and told me to wander through the multiple rooms and to check out the messy but loaded storage room in the back of the shop. This is my kind of shop where you can rummage through lots of treasures.

Old Fashioned Country Atmosphere

Her room settings are lovely, with plenty of antique Hoosier cabinets, enamel top tables, old wooden boxes, barrels, pie safes etc. serving as props and platforms for smaller antiques. Helen mixes originals with reproductions, but there are plenty of both, so hunters looking for genuine old stuff won't feel cheated.

Discovering The Back Room In An Antique shop

Adorable country signs (newly made) accent the shop and were very engaging. Taking Helen's advice, I did wander into the backroom to find piles and piles of interesting things. The backroom is where she stuffs the stuff she tires of or where the extra inventory winds up. Lots of antique shops have backrooms, so it is always wise to ask owners if they have a backroom. Sometimes what you are looking for is in their "storage areas" .

If You Don't See What You Are Hunting For: Always Ask The Staff

That is how I acquired the fabulous Red and White Hoosier cabinet which is the centerpiece of my display at my shop "Kitsch n Stuff' . When setting up that shop, I went from shop to shop looking for a white painted Hoosier.

Hoosier of My Dreams

In one favorite Antique Malls (Antiques On The Farmington) , I didn't see any Hoosiers on the floor, but I inquired if the staff knew if any of the dealers had one for sale. They took me into their "storage room" and lo and behold, there was the Hoosier of my dreams, ready for purchase.

It seems that the dealer had it "in storage" and it was waiting to be taken out of the shop. I caught it before it disappeared. So always ask about "back rooms'.

At first glance you might wonder to yourself. "Plymouth, never heard of it". But when you read some more of this post you will realize that Plymouth, Connecticut has a very rich history.

Plymouth, Connecticut Original Home To The Clock Industry

According to the official Plymouth, CT town website:

"Incorporated in 1795, the Town of Plymouth owes its beginnings to the foresight of such manufacturers as Eli Terry, Seth Thomas and Silas Hoadley. The manufacture of clocks first gave Plymouth national recognition. Eventually Seth Thomas moved from Plymouth Center to Plymouth Hollow (now Thomaston) to continue the trade. Eli Terry, Jr. carried the Terry name eastward to (now) Terryville where clocks, and beginning in 1830 locks, were manufactured through harnessing the power of the Pequabuck River. The latter enterprise became known as the Eagle Lock Company, which enjoyed a worldwide reputation and employed some 1,800 persons at its peak."


Antiques At The Green
703 main Street
Plymouth, Connecticut
860-283-0689
860-585-1914
Helen Nejfelt

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

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