DAYTRIP:
Westward Bound to Chepachet
Head west toward Glocester’s village of Chepachet and discover a trove of treasures along the way.
FROM LEFT:
The red door at
Old Stone Mill
Antiques; once inside,
discover a selection of
treasures. Antiques
Alley is ideal for
collectors of pop
culture.
10:30 a.m. Start your western pilgrimage at the Find on 6 in
Johnston — not to be confused with the nearby “Joint on 6”
smoke shop — for 11,000 square feet of vintage ephemera. The
space, perfumed by rustic potpourri for sale near the entrance,
includes two massive rooms with furniture, home goods, clothing
and accessories as well as a greenhouse space with dealer stalls.
Primitive items take center stage but a green-striped Victorian
sofa with ornate wood trim and a vintage Whiting and Davis
gold mesh evening purse — the latter marked down to $18! —
were the real finds on 6. 2953 Hartford Ave., Johnston, 764-0651,
thefindon6.com.
11:30 p.m. Take Route 116 toward Greenville and get lost at
Antiques Alley (formerly Stillwater Antiques), an emporium
of all things pop culture. Dealer stalls run the gamut, from
vintage signage — including a massive Shell gas station sign for
$400 — to vinyl, political buttons and a truly impressive collec-
tion of Little Golden Books. 711 Putnam Pike, Greenville, stillwater
antiques.net.
dinnerware set: The place feels like a museum for unusual things
made well. 1169 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, 309-7662.
3 p.m. Bop over to the Town Trader next door and behold an
impressive assortment of vintage Pyrex, including hard-to-find
solid suites and patterns. The shop also specializes in vintage
hardware, cast iron pans, light fixtures, funky tableware and
other home goods. 1177 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, 568-8800, the
towntrader.com.
3:30 p.m. A visit to Chepachet wouldn’t be complete without a
stroll through Brown and Hopkins Country Store, the oldest
continually operating general store in the nation. Vintage and
antique brownware, doilies, cookie cutters and pewter, collected
and curated by staffer Trish, blend with new items arranged
throughout the store. If you find you’re in pressing need of a pick-
me-up, this is the place: Grab a mixed bag of candy for $1 or
practice restraint with two or three chocolate-covered gummy
bears at 10 cents apiece. 1179 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, 568-4830,
brownandhopkins.com.
1 p.m. Head up Route 44 toward Chepachet, snag some street
parking and stop for a bite to eat at the Tavern on Main. Opt
for an entree, mostly so you can dig into the soup and bread
station, and keep an eye out for the supernatural; rumor has it,
the place is haunted. 1157 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, 710-9788,
tavernonmainri.com.
2 p.m. Ever meet your vintage soulmate? Old Stone Mill Antiques
and Treasures is mine. The two-level shop is housed in a 200-year-
old textile mill that’s heated by a wood stove stocked by the indus-
trious and friendly owner, Debbie. Odd and sometimes-eerie
portraiture, dusty red velvet chairs, typewriters, colorful crockery
and darling children’s items, including a complete Peter Rabbit
4 p.m. Hit Old Post Office Antiques before its 5 o’clock closing
time for an assortment of dealer goods — or, as a sign on the shop
window declares, “nine rooms of junk on two floors.” A gorgeous
eight-panel caramel slag glass lamp from 1930 — a Bradley and
Hubbard, perhaps? — is one of the pricier products in the shop
at $445 firm, but cobalt glassware, skeleton keys, baseball cards
and other ephemera are offered at affordable prices. You’ll find
all the things you loved at other shops, but a touch improved —
think: a sea green insulator and an “Autumn Harvest” Pyrex
mixing bowl priced half-off. It’s a great last stop in the tiny but
treasure-filled village of Chepachet. 1178 Putnam Pike, Chepachet,
568-1795, oldpostofficeantiques.com –C.N.
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY
l MARCH 2020 51