Antiques, collectibles, you name it
By Karen Mann
Townsend is known for its many antique stores.

However, just like no two antiques are the same, no two antique stores are the same. Each one has its own history. Each has its own passion and feel when you step inside.

JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

With so many options, how does one know which shop is right for them?

This is impossible to answer and only by visiting each of the stores will

the customer find this

answer. However, here is a guide to some of the shops

in West Townsend, along with a little sampling of what they have to offer.

The Hobart Village Antique Mall is a group shop owned by Dick and Janice Fiorentino, along with their daughter, Robin, and son-in-law, Tony Silva. The building, which is on the corner of Main

Street and Canal

Street, was bought by

the family in 1995. It was not until the following year that the Fiorentinos moved their personal store from their house, located across the street, into Hobart Village.

The shop is home to between 70 and 80 different dealers, who rent space out from the family. All types of antiques and collectibles are featured there, including a reproduction room, which is full of new items that are made to look old.

Dick Fiorentino thinks the group shop is a good idea, because a lot of people are just collectors.

"This way they can just rent a space, and don't have to worry about the business aspects of it," he said.

The building's owner said it is a "different animal" owning and running a store.

"It requires a lot more work," said Fiorentino. "You have to have connections, a way to procure stuff, and a way to advertise."

He says the way to start in this business is by being a collector, collecting lots and lots of stuff and then finding a way to sell it. He and his wife have been in the business for 30 years. Fiorentino said they combined his interest in old things with her interests in buying and selling.

Fiorentino's favorite thing to sell and collect is furniture because he thinks it is interesting and he learned a lot about it. He also likes to collect children's toys.

Over the years he has seen drastic changes in the business, such as parents who no longer bring their children to his store with them. He believes it is because of a disconnect with the current generation. They are interested in technology and gadgets, not antiques. Fiorentino also believes that more young adults are moving back into their parents' homes, so they don't have as much of a desire to own things.

Antique Associates on Main Street sells items for individuals and carries a wide variety of items including this eagle statue. Journal Photos/Karen Mann

Fiorentino finds it helpful to be in an area where there are a lot of antique shops because it brings more people in.

"People in today's society are busy and want to go somewhere where there are a lot of stores to find what they want," he said.

Fiorentino thinks Townsend is such a hot spot for antique shops because of its location. He said that Route 119 is a road "traveled on at a lower speed," and people take it for enjoyment - to see things. He believes people drive through Groton quickly since it is near the highway and Ashby is a little too far out of

the way, so Townsend is an ideal spot.

When asked what the

most popular item to sell is,

Fiorentino said there isn't one

that is more popular than the

other.

"Anything that sells is popular

for me," he joked.

There is no question what the highest selling item in the shop across the street is, Delaney's Antique Clocks. This store features the largest collection of

American Tall-Case Antique

Clocks in the country. The store was started more than 40 years ago by John and Barbara Delaney, and is now also run by their two

sons, John and Sean.

The shop features a wide assortment of clocks, from grandfather clocks to table clocks. There are English made clocks and American made ones, some have painted dials, some have brass dials.

"I like that no two clocks are the same," said Sean Delaney.

Most of the clocks date back from the 18th and 19th centuries. The oldest clock currently in the shop is from 1750 however, Delaney said, there have been clocks older than that in there before.

Delaney also likes that individuals, not companies, made the clocks. Some of the names he is proud to feature are Willard and Cummings.

Delaney said the store is a "clock destination" and people from all over the country go there for clocks.

According to Delaney, they have the customers who are passionate collectors and will buy multiple clocks. They also have the customers that have a spot in their house they need to fill or have just always wanted a grandfather clock.

The location of Delaney's shop is what led to David Hillier opening Antique Associates At West Townsend, Inc. down the street. Hillier figured that because of Delaney's, the area was already somewhat established as an antique hot spot. He also looked at Townsend as "a great 18th and 19th century community architecturally."

Located at 473 Main Street, Antique Associates has been open for 23 years. What makes this shop unique is that Hillier or his staff owns none of the items. They are brokers, selling items for others.

They also give free, walk-in, verbal appraisals every Wednesday. They have a few experts in a few different areas for this.

Hillier said he got into the business due to a love of art and history. He had the vision to start this business, but he stressed numerous times that it took a team to build it. Many of his staff members have been there for 20 years.

"The team is what makes this place successful," said Hillier. "We are a very large small-business."

Hillier said because of all the work his team does, it gives himself and co-worker Dennis Moore time to be antiquarians. This means they study and research the items that come into the shop.

Hillier said when an item comes to them, it is registered in their database, and then it goes into the photo studio, where multiple pictures are taken. If the item is considered "general merchandise, a caption is written for it.

If it needs to be researched, it will go upstairs to the library, where either Hillier or Moore find out as much information as they can about the item. Next, a price is established. Hillier said they establish a selling price, not the family, by using professional databases that show what similar antiques have sold for.

The last piece is putting the item out in the shop, which takes consideration. Hillier said all of the rooms are either galleries or period room settings

According to Hillier, it is hard to find anything in his shop that is younger than 150-years-old. They offer all manners of American antiques: silver, pewter, specialty American furniture and decorative arts. Hillier described the collectors that come in there as sophisticated and passionate, adding that the customers "are why we are here."

He says they give all of their customers the same courtesy and attention, which is what brings people into the shop.

"We are in the business of creating raving fans," said Hillier.

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Karen Mann is a 2006 graduate of Emerson College, in Boston, where she studied journalism. She resides in Townsend with her parents.