Have you ever been to town of Toana, Virginia? Me neither. That’s probably because you could drive through it with a blink of an eye. But if you are into one-of-a-kind, hard to locate, antique advertising/industrial/funky/prim items to add to your specialized collection…than do I have a very unique place for you to stop and visit. Enter Everything Vintage Co. in Toano, Virginia, just a few minutes west of Williamsburg, VA…right up Richmond Road.
Looks pretty plain Jane from the outside…until you step inside that is…
As the Mr. and I were leaving our fun, but short weekend adventure in Colonial Williamsburg, we headed west on Richmond Road and stopped in one of our favorite antique stores on the East Coast. We found this eclectic shop on a Sunday drive a couple of years ago…where we stopped and purchased this piece of antique advertising (scroll to the bottom of the story) that was chillin’ on the hot sidewalk, outside of the shop…just like these two lovely examples below.
Man caves across the country are screaming for these two signs to join their bare walls…
When the Mr. and I first went to this shop, there was a real mix of high and low end antiques…primitive, industrial, signage, smalls, etc….and really seemed to offer a little bit of everything for all kinds of collectors.
Unfortunately, this time around, the Mr. and I were really surprised to see the dramatic increase in the asking prices of most of the items in the shop. I understand that the pieces they offer are very unique and some are quite hard to find…so they demand a higher asking price. But no deals here…expect to pay full retail.
This is definitely a shop for the serious collector who is looking for that one, special item to add to their collection. And if they don’t have it in the store, I bet they could find it for you!
Their offering of antique advertising was very impressive. I fell in love with this Anniston Bus Depot sign below. The clock was not working, but image if it was re-wired to light up and keep time! Amazing…
Signs, signs, everywhere signs…
Spice up tea time with this beautiful Lipton’s Tea sign…probably made from enamel.
I’m guessing that some of these items come from auctions…such as this beautiful oak grain bin that once belonged in an old general store.
With the mix of bicycles and advertising, it made me think of American Pickers…
As an illustrator, I’m always looking for inspiration from vintage ads…like this Esslinger’s beer character. I love the simplicity in his uniform and the use of the bold red on white.
I love the graphics on this Esslinger’s beer sign…something about the design of the little man reminds me of two other brands…Campbell’s Soup and Phillip Morris Cigarettes.
As much as I loved this old industrial cubby shelf…it screamed tetanus shot!!! I know the rusty thing is a hot look/trend right now…but if this baby came home with me, I’d have to pay to have the metal grate cubbies powder coated in some bright, fun colors.
For some reason this made me think of Laverne and Shirley. Didn’t they work in a factory?
In the back I found this sweet apothecary cabinet painted in cottage green and cream. I loved the handles…even though I was unsure if they were original or not to the piece. But at $495…it seemed a little steep. I’d think this piece would look precious in an entry way with a large deco mirror paired with it and an old oak coat rack or umbrella stand beside it. Too cute!
Cottage chic and cute to boot! One could store lots of little treasures in this adorable apothecary chest.
Copyright 2014. The Savvy Seeker blog by Erin Hurley-Brown. All Rights Reserved.
thesavvyseeker 
A great area to prowl … especially after the beach-goers abandon the roads coming and going. Great blog, as usual …
Agreed! Once the summer tourists leave, Williamsburg is a very charming place to visit….especially during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season. Toano is a very quiet little town that is a stones throw from the attractions in Williamsburg, which make it a perfect place to stop.