Inside Antique Company Mall

My little retail space is located at the Antique Company Mall, which is right off the quaint downtown square in McKinney, Texas.

McKinney is a suburb of Dallas, about 10 minutes north of my own suburb, Allen. I love going to McKinney because Allen has nothing old! McKinney however has fantastic antique malls, a historical farmers market, and a neighborhood of beautiful, historic homes that surround the square.

In 2012, Money magazine named McKinney the 2nd Best Place to Live in America. That’s quite an honor! I have been shopping at Antique Company Mall ever since we moved to the area in 2008, so when the opportunity came to rent a booth space there, I jumped at the chance. If you missed that story, you can read it here. I thought it might be nice to take a quick tour through one of the best antique malls around.

The building that houses the mall is historic, and so has all of those quirks that add to its character and charm. There are beautiful, original wood floors that run throughout much of the downstairs space, and the back half of the mall has an upstairs with a balcony that looks over the front of the store.

There are some fantastic dealers right at the front of the store, Ella Elaine and her other half, Mr. Ella. Ella Elaine often wins the prize for Most Creative Repurposing. She has a knack for turning junk into art.

Booth 58, run by my friend and her parents also takes up a window spot. They started their business in the same little upstairs spot where I started mine, and now anchor part of the front of the store! I’mnot quite sure I’m up to the task of having such a large space quite yet . . . it’s a lot of work keeping inventory stocked and displays well organized and creative. They do a fantastic job though and are a great attraction for the store.

On the other side of the front door is Barbara, who I believe has been at the mall since it opened, almost 20 years! Her space is packed full of pink, white, and turquoise, as well as a section that has more “traditional” antiques with dark woods and brown tones. She has a beautiful inventory.

Another one of my favorite dealers is Nancy with Uncommon Goods.

Her displays always look fantastic and she has a great selection of vintage mirrors, ironstone pitchers, and picture frames.

Upstairs you can find many more great dealers who carry vintage decor and antiques, but also some other unique spaces.

I’m not sure who rents this space, but I think it’s a fantastic idea.

There is a huge selection of board games, all sealed in plastic and guaranteed to have all of their pieces. There are new games and old games . . . I have wandered through before and found games from my childhood that aren’t made anymore! New board games can be really expensive, and if you buy them at garage sales you never know if you have all the pieces. Here you can get a great price, and know that you won’t wind up with a half-complete Monopoly game.

There is also upstairs the gentleman who restores and re-wires vintage fans. One day while working at the mall last summer, it was sooooo hot we plugged in one of his fans that was waiting to be picked up by a customer to get a little relief. I was amazed at how much cooler air these fans blow that those that are made now! And not only that, they are beautiful. Many to me look like a piece of art.

This is only a small review of what is available at Antique Company Mall. Their address is available at the bottom of my page, please be sure to wander in if you find yourself in the area.

I have had a wonderful experience in my two years as a dealer at the mall. It’s very hard work, and I can’t say it’s right for everyone. I will post more in a few days about things to consider when renting a mall booth space and tips for how to get started in the business (That post now live, here). But for now, just wanted to offer some eye candy for everyone.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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