Best Places For Antiquing In North Bay

Now is the perfect time to go hunting for antiques for your home; items of value, rich history and beauty. To find things that are unique in these days of mass production is a feat in itself, but luckily you can find one-of-a-kind treasures at these North Bay antique shops. Be sure to skip the wine tastings beforehand; you'll want your mind sharp as a tack when you are calculating the value of your new bargain finds.

Treasure House
700 Wilson St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 523-1188
www.facebook.com/pages/Treasure-House

This gem is located right off of Hwy 101 as you head north from San Francisco, in Railroad Square. The building looks very plain from the outside but, as with most gems, the jewels are on the inside. The timeline at this shop includes many eras and period pieces. Celebrating 50 years in business this year, Treasure House still amazes customers with its antique selection. The beauty of this house of treasures? It is run by volunteers and all proceeds go toward helping abused or battered women and children.

Vintage Bank Antiques
101 Petaluma Boulevard North
Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 769-3097
www.vintagebankantiques.com

One of the most interesting buildings on the list, this antique shop is appropriately located inside a historic landmark and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. This old bank houses three floors of old treasures. Come to look through the massive amounts of antiques or just drop in for the experience.  Either way, you will leave happy and feeling like the day has been made. Some of the antiques found here include fine glass, pottery, Asian wares, books of rarity, artwork and silver jewelry.

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Antiques On Second
1370 2nd St.
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 252-6353

This antique shop has more vintage clothing than the others, along with linens, fine china, furniture, housewares, old games and even groovy 70s stuff. Antiques on Second is the true meaning of the word eclectic, also housing Victorian style items, Art Deco and mid-century pieces. The furniture here is vibrant and chic, yet still old and used. You can even find some old albums. Time spent in this shop will take one back down memory lane and also find you something to treasure.

Artifact Design & Salvage
3562 Hwy 121
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 933-0660
www.artefactdesignsalvage.com

This is a very different kind of antique store; one that should be recognized for its uniqueness above all else. This is a seller of "artefacts" or "rare antique architectural pieces," as stated by the founder, Dave Allen. If you're looking for a truly unique antique that literally cannot be found anywhere else, this is a place to go. Artifact Design & Salvage has a great selection of furniture, garden sculptures and handmade items morphed from salvaged pieces. While not the kind of place people go looking every weekend, it is certain to house the most memorable conversation starter you will find in a purchased antique.

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Vita Collage
11101 SR 1, Ste 102
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663-1160
www.vitacollage.com

This antique shop has a very avant garde feel to it. All items really intermingle in with the feel of the store. Although there is a modern look to the entire place, continued even on the outside of the building with lovely red parasols, the shop's true treasures are of older times. There is no need to rummage through items, as everything is neatly in its place. The antiques here are mixed in with jewelry and other home decor, all of which are hard to pass up, once you step inside. Check out the scarves, blown etched glass pieces, necklaces and to-die-for purses.

Mel Ball is the founder of AskASalon.com, utilizing her background of 10 years in the beauty industry to promote, market, mentor, and build business for small salons and spas across the country. She links up quality salon or spa talented folks with businesses that need them, and supports the growth of all those in the service industry through her virtual knowledge networking site and real-world events. She resides in San Francisco. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.