Treasures abound in Lodi area's antique stores

Visitors and locals looking to buy antiques in Lodi are in luck. Downtown Lodi and Lockeford offer a variety of foreign and American goods.

Tucked away in quiet shops filled with treasures large and small are some of the oldest and most beautiful pieces of history available to interested buyers.

Secondhand Rose, an antique store on School Street bursting with items ranging from musical instruments to ice skates, gives buyers an opportunity to buy from 40 different dealers in one stop.

"There's a hodge podge of different stuff," said Christina Hoffman, owner of Secondhand Rose. "We always have a really good selection of guitars."

Hoffman said the best items sold at her store are the vintage kitchen items, but that the best parts of her store are the prices and the variety of items sold.

The dealers rent space in the store and bring whatever items they want to sell, which allows for a variety of goods for buyers.

Another store antique hounds can visit is Lockeford Antiques.

The store, an old brick building in the heart of Lockeford, features antiques from Belgium and France.

Though it is only open during limited hours on the weekends, private appointments are available for interested buyers who would like or need help with the selection and buying process.

Antique shoppers who love spending time outdoors need look no further than the Lodi Street Faire, held on the first Sunday of May and the first Sunday of October.

Visitors to the event can enjoy the beautiful Downtown streets of Lodi, the crowds and the food while shopping for antiques brought in from various local and out-of-town dealers.

For customers looking for antiques from Germany and Italy, Hummelking, an antique shop specializing in Hummels and Capodimontes, offers small porcelain statues of gnomes, women and children.

Owners Alex and Emily Vaishville have been at their School Street store for seven months. Before settling down, they traveled and gave antique shows featuring their unique collections.

Though they see some Lodi customers, the Vaishvilles said most of their antiques are sold to people out of town, from Sacramento and Fairfield.

Of all the goods sold at Hummelking, Emily Vaishville feels the best are the Hummels and the dishes. But they also have California pottery, fine jewelry and coins.

Smiling vintage '50s head vases look out over shelves and entice buyers while vibrant oil paintings line walls and give visitors and customers a look at history as amaze.

Alex Vaishville said the coins sold at the store are probably the oldest item sold, though there is also a Ming Dynasty tea set hundreds of years old, ornately painted and polished to a perfect shine.

For those who haven't done a lot of antique shopping and even for those who have, Hoffman has one easy tip.

"Buy what you love," Hoffman advised.