Best laid plans.
There's little that excites me more than a road trip to a new flea market and I had what I thought was the perfect plan for a Saturday drive with my one-year-old. Snacks and navigation in tow, we were headed about an hour and twenty minutes north to Renninger's Antique and Farmers' Market in Denver, PA. I had seen an Instagram story about their market being open Saturdays and Sundays, did a quick verification on Google and we were out. It was a cold blue sky kind of winter day, perfect for some light travel.
Imagine my chagrin when I made a left into a nearly empty parking lot, an abandoned space where I'd expected a bustling market. Turns out there are lies on the Internet, and I was led astray as the market runs on Sundays.
Determined to make this a worthwhile journey and having hawk-eyed a few possible stops on the same road, we turned back. First up, just down Reading Road (Hwy 272) from Renninger's, was Oley Valley Architectural Antiques. You can tell it's incredible just pulling into the parking lot, as vintage and antique iron gates lean against the exterior walls. Nothing says "we have alot of stuff" like the need to store some of it outside.
The inside did not disappoint. Oley Valley is layers upon layers of beautiful, interesting, old and very very old pieces. I have zero need for most of what is in there, but no matter. Winding through the narrow hallways is an absolute feast for the eyes. And you really never know. You may not have a place to install stained glass in your home, but there's probably somewhere you can display it, or lean it. Who says you can't have a huge, carved antique pillar right in the center of your living room? You are limited, dear Reader, only by your own imagination. At any rate, you'll want to find any excuse to bring some of these pieces home, so fair warning.
Oley Valley is a true adventure, with a windy path that weaves through so many gorgeous pieces in a warehouse of a building, it is almost overwhelming. The floors are carpeted with dusty oriental rugs, and although the windows give a major dose of natural light, there are plenty of dark corners to get lost in. There's an extra vibe to a place where you can tell items are loved and this shop has everything labelled, not only with the price but with a bit of the history on the object. There are all kinds of glass things, wood things, carved things, gilded things - you will leave having feasted your eyes on many truly unique pieces. And the prices reflect the quality, so we are not really talking budget pricing, but I imagine the value for these one of a kind items is good.
I prefer to creep around independently, so I did. However, this is definitely the kind of shop where you can get some personalized service. I overheard the person running it that day giving a detailed tour to a local couple, and a sign indicated that you can make an appointment, as well. So, the experience can be as specialized or random as you want it to be. I wish I'd had hours to spend cavorting around all this carved wood, glass and iron, but that is for another time.
In sum, Oley Valley Architectural Antiques is a must-stop whether you are renovating a 19th century farmhouse out there in Denver PA, or just passing through. I doubt there are many other places where you can find the pieces that are available here. And the option to have your hand held or not also strikes me as a major bonus. One bummer about this place is that I rolled over something that punctured one of my front tires on the way out. By the time we made it two minutes down the same road to Adams Antiques, we had a flat. But that is a story for part two!
