Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A trip to Kudzu Antiques Mart

Sunday after church, I went with some friends to Kudzu Antiques Mart in Decatur. I had heard great things about it, so I wanted to check it out.

At 25,000 square feet, the sheer size of the place is overwhelming. It is basically like a flea market crossed with an antique store. They've got some really great antique furniture and accessories there, but they also have the flea marketesque knick-knacks and chachkas that some people love, and others (like me) typically hate. I needed to have some sort of mission while looking through this place since there is simply so much stuff, so I was on the lookout for some nice-looking crystal (or crystal-looking) liquor decanters. Here are some highlights that I saw while perusing:

Everything is organized into these "rooms." As you walk down the aisle, there is a room on either side of you. There are probably 50 or 60 of these rooms throughout the store, so hopefully this gives you a better idea of the sheer volume you're dealing with.

Good looking desk.

Fencing sabers. These would have looked nice on my wall (and only $35 for the pair).

This bell is actually cocktail shaker. You unscrew the handle and load everything in. You can see the screw-top spout which lets you pour your drink.

An artillery shell made into a lamp. Awesome.

An old English pub game.

I thought about buying the plaid one. $30 seemed a little steep, though.

Someone must have lifted these from Sterling Cooper...

Framed Civil War prints. For $10 a piece, these were really tempting.

Toy trains.

I bet Hollister would have picked this up. For better or worse, I exercised restraint.

And the pièce de résistance. A framed antique Alabama flag. If it wasn't $250, it would have been mine...

In the end, I left empty-handed, but that's OK. I get the impression that this place has pretty high turnover, so regular trips are probably warranted. They're open seven days a week from 11:00-7:00, so next time you're in Decatur, drop in.

Kudzu Antique Market
2928 East Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: 404-373-6498

7 comments:

JRS said...

Very nice...we've got a couple markets like this in our neck of the woods. We'll have to give Kudzu a try.

I've got a desk very similar to the one you posted - it was given to me by my Grandparents who got it as a wedding gift. One of my most prized possessions.

I can't believe you passed on the Civil War prints...$10 each is a steal.

trip said...

Aside from the ones on the wall, there was actually a dozen or so more in a box, so maybe I will think about it next time I go back.

Anonymous said...

As much as I hate the store's shabby chic obsession (if I want something with holes in it, I'll buy it used), Pottery Barn actually has perhaps the best liquor decanter I have seen in a store, and at only $25 a pop, you could put together a whole collection.

trip said...

Anonymous,
Wow, thanks for the heads-up. They've actually got 3 really nice looking decanters on their website, all less than $30. This is definitely something to consider.

Unknown said...

Those Civil War prints were fantastic, I've been looking for something like that for a wall in my office/guest room.
That flag was great as well, but not for $250.

Tommy said...

This place looks like a lot of fun, and even though I've never really been one to use 'antique' as a verb, I find myself enjoying the history aspect of it when I do go.

TWA said...

Love the plaid flask!