By Sunde Farquhar
Take a stroll through downtown Dade City and you'll feel like you're taking a trip back in time. The historic buildings in this charming small town are home to a cornucopia of antique stores, making Dade City shopping popular for people who like antiques and collectibles.
It's easy to spend an afternoon perusing Dade City's antique stores, which feature a wide variety of treasures.
Antiques on the Main Street specializes in country primitive antiques, which owner Peggy Capps describes as rustic, handmade items that served a utilitarian purpose.
Capps has operated her store for 16 years and favors this type of antique. She has many primitive pieces in her own home.
"They're so warm and home-y," she said of the Dade City antiques. "I feel like they tell a story."
During our visit to Capps' shop we saw a pie safe, a cabinet used to store pies back in the days before rfrigeration. Holes punched into the cabinet's tin door panels helped air circulate through the safe, cooling freshly-baked pies while also keeping flies away.
A bucket bench, carved duck decoys, dry measures and wooden storage casks called firkins were some of the other items for sale at Dade City's Antiques on the Main Street.
At Thaila's American Antiques, Too, we found a wide assortment of antiques and collectibles, including vintage salt and pepper shakers, dish sets, wall art, magazines, books, postcards, advertising figurines, toys and much more.
Annetta's Attic features 22 rooms of antiques, furniture, linens, glassware and other collectibles. We were impressed with a room that owner Annetta Gore calls the "Man Cave."
"A lot of men spend their time here while their wives are browsing," said Gore, who has worked in the antiques industry for 40 years.
The room is full of antiques and collectibles that men might enjoy, including military memorabilia such as war medals, uniforms and gas masks. Other collectibles include a Lionel train set in its original box, vinyl LP records and turntables, stereo systems complete with floor speakers, guitars, alcohol-themed wall art and political buttons.
If you're looking for a specific type of antique during your visit to Dade City and can't find it at the store you're visiting, shop owners have been known to call other nearby stores to see if they carry the item.
"All antique shop owners are friends and we all work together," said Gore.
The Dade City Merchants Association hosts antique fairs each spring and fall.
For more information email DadeCityMerchantsAssoc@Yahoo.com
Dade City Shopping: Antique Stores to Visit
Annetta's Antiques, 14136 8th St., 352-567-5809
Annetta's Attic, 14144 8th St., 352-567-0087
Another Man's Treasure, 37913 Church Ave., 352-518-0875
Antiques on the Main St., 14122 7th St., 352-523-0999
Bonita Flower Shop Antiques, 14342 7th St., 352-567-6795
Boom Town Antiques, 14118 7th St., 813-464-0200
Ivy Cottage Antiques & Wine Merchant, 14110 7th St., 352-523-0019
Peddlers Village, 14245 7th St., 352-518-0600
Stilson's American Eagle Antique Mall, 14232 7th St., 352-521-3361
Sugarcreek Too, 37836 Meridian Ave., 352-437-4888
Thaila's American Eagle Antiques, Too, 14119 7th St., 352-521-0390
The Rustic Bucket, 14106 7th St., 352-518-0875
Top Drawer Antiques, 14130 7th St., 352-437-4838
