As surely as the swallows make their way to Capistrano, treasure seekers make their way to Round Top twice each year for the famed Round Top Antiques Show. Those who come regularly seek out their favorite venues with a focus and intensity that would be admired by the unerring birds en route to California. Newcomers, on the other hand, may fall prey to delightful distractions as they have the pleasure of discovering their own favorites.  Either way, a trip to Round Top is a win-win.

In actuality, we’re the big winners. Whether you’re a long-time shopper or a newbie, we get to introduce you to some of our advertisers, who love antiques, vintage, and handcrafts, so much that they operate venues. We think you’ll enjoy getting to know them as much as we have. Who knows one of these venues, listed alphabetically, just might become your personal favorite.

Antiques on the Square Fayetteville Texas
photo courtesy of Antiques on the Square

Antiques on the Square
110 West Main

Fayetteville, Texas 78940
FB:
Antiques on the Square Fayetteville, Texas

Organizer: Lisa Stansbury
Established:
2005 (Stansbury took over in 2011)
Number of Vendors:
~10

Lisa Stansbury, organizer of Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville, said the show is small by design.

“We love the atmosphere of a small antiques show,” Stansbury, who has run the show for five years, said. “We all enjoy the slower pace and personal interaction that comes from being off the beaten path. Plus, a lot of our customers consider us a well-kept secret.”

In addition, the historic square in Fayetteville is an ideal setting for authentic American antiques.

“Our dealers come from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas and Louisiana, bringing with them a lot of good heartland American primitives,” she said. The offerings range from furniture, industrial, art, farm fresh, advertising, tools, quilts and smalls.

The fall show opens on Sept. 17 and closes with an antiques auction on Sept. 26 that begins at 6 p.m. The majority of the merchandise, which is strictly limited to antiques, comes from Teel Auction Services. On Sept. 27, there is a “Packing Up Sale” that starts early in the morning and ends when the last dealer pulls out of town.

“If you’re coming to the ‘Packing Up Sale,’ come early because there is no set closing time,” Stansbury said. “If you’re not an early bird, it’s easy to miss the opportunity.”

Every night, the dealers and guests enjoy a happy hour with wine and snacks that begins at 5:30 p.m. Many customers come to enjoy the iconic restaurants in Fayetteville including Orsak’s Café and Joe’s Place and then spend the evening shopping.

“In Fayetteville, you can hear the birds singing in the trees,” Stansbury said. “Shopping with us is like a little vacation in the country with friends”

Lisa Stansbury’s Best Advice
Plan ahead:
Get maps and information from Round Top Register and Show Daily. Take care of your thirst and tootsies: Stay hydrated and wear good, comfortable shoes. Be an early bird: Shop early in the day and then come visit us in the evening. We’re open until 9:00 p.m.


Anna Spencer Morse, Grace Photography photo
photo by Anna Spencer Morse

The Old Depot Vintage Market
550 N. Washington Street

Round Top, Texas 78954
FB:
Old Depot Antiques 

Owner: Jon Perez
Established: 1993 (Perez acquired in 2014)
Number of Vendors: ~45

The depot from which Old Depot Vintage Market gets its name was built in La Grange in about 1861. It made the trek to Round Top 23 years ago and has served as a twice-yearly antiques venue since its arrival.
“During the Round Top Antiques Show, we have 40 to 50 vendors most of whom are long-time veterans of the Old Depot Vintage Market,” Jon Perez, the venue owner said. “Our dealers offer an eclectic mix of high-quality goods that are representative of the entire show experience,” he said.

The venue also features The Stone Cellar Pub & Pizzeria, The Stone Cellar Annex Cafe and the Round Top Dance Hall which are year-round businesses located on the grounds. The Old Depot offers a full-service RV park on-site.

Our show is known as ‘the show where the dealers shop.’

Highlights include: a large collection of Depression and collectible glassware occupying roughly 8,000 square feet in The Pavilion as well as French antiques, fine furnishings, restored Louis Vuitton wares in high-quality cowhides, on-site upholstery, fine linens, furniture, jewelry and an array of repurposed metal art and signs.

Food and refreshments are available at the Stone Cellar and the Stone Cellar Annex cafe that offers breakfast and barbecue. Generally, the Old Depot is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. but times may vary.  Music is available most nights on the porch.

Jon Perez’s Best Advice
Pace yourself:
Don’t try to do it all in one day. Buy it: If you see something you like buy it; you can count on it not being there when you return. Lift a glass: After a long day of shopping, enjoy Stone Cellar’s house-made sangria.


Matt White Builder of Dream Homes Round TopRecycling the Past/Round Top Ballroom
1132 FM 1291 North

Round Top, Texas 78954
www.roundtopballroom.com

 Also, Prelude
107 Highway 237 Burton, Texas 77835
(near the intersection of Highway 237 and U.S. Highway 290)

Owner: Matt White
Established:
2014
Number of Vendors:
1

Matt White first came to Round Top at the recommendation of Mark Dooley who owns Ex-Cess in Warrenton.

“The first time I came to Round Top, I brought down a half-box truck load and set up in the mud,” White said.

He was hooked. For 16 years, he came to the show. Then, in 2014, he made Round Top the second location of Recycling the Past. The original is in Barnegat, New Jersey.

We have a salvage and demolition business that has evolved into repurposing and reselling. We help other people create and design everything from boats to planes to businesses and even landscapes.

The Texas location is known as the Round Top Ballroom because it doubles as an events venue. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the Round Top Antiques Shows beginning Sept. 15.

The 12,000 square foot facility is chock full of architectural salvage items destined to make a bold statement. Shoppers can find doors, windows, petrified wood, gems, minerals, reclaimed lumber, furniture, architectural antiques, airplane parts and funky finds from around the globe.

“They don’t make materials like this anymore, so people who choose to incorporate salvaged elements not only enjoy high-quality but are able to make a very personal style statement,” White said. “Using architectural salvage inspires creativity.”

White and his team also have space at Ex-Cess during the show.

Matt White’s Best Advice
Be early: 
Come early. Be festive: Go to Festival Hill, probably the greatest concert hall I’ve ever seen. Explore: Drive the backroads . . ..


Rendezvous in Round Top
photo courtesy of Rendezvous

The Rendezvous
2425 South Hwy. 237

Round Top, Texas 78954
www.therendezvous.com

Owners: Gina Galvin and Carrie Hurley
Established:  Spring 2014 (The Rendezvous opened in 2013.)
Number of Vendors: 10

In 2013, a “FOR SALE” sign stopped Gina Galvin, owner of Peacock Park Design, and her creative cohort Carrie Hurley in mid-Round-Top-Antiques-Show ramble.

“For years we had been enchanted by the ramshackle yellow farmhouse,” Galvin said. “With its prime location, we’d always wondered why someone hadn’t turned this sweet spot into something fabulous.”

As Round Top regulars, they saw the business potential.

Round Top is anything but a dot on a map. It’s a garage sale, a high-end antiques show, a street fair, a carnival, a party and the greatest girls’ getaway on the planet—happening all at once.

Because prime real estate doesn’t stay on the market for long, they acted quickly. Their offer was accepted while they were on a flea marketing trip to Paris.

“Naturally, we needed a name with a little French flair,” Hurley said. “Rendezvous means a place to meet, to see and be seen.”

Over the past three years, the duo has worked to develop a field of dreams on the eight-acre property. It now includes several “cabinz,” each of which makes its own designer statement; the Conservatory, a glass and iron “jewel box of a room” providing event space; and the show field.

During the antiques show, the duo always make sure there’s something shaking at The Rendezvous whether it’s  live music, food and drinks or special events such as “how to” classes.

“Our ‘vendorz’ are like family, and we treat them that way,” Hurley said. “We want The Rendezvous to be everyone’s ‘happy place.’”

Carrie Hurley and Gina Galvin’s Best Advice
Come and go: Walk the aisles from both directions. It’s amazing to see what you missed the first time around.Travel light: You’ll be amazed how far your parked car is when you stumble upon an arm-full of treasures. Don’t be afraid to ask: Be respectful of dealers’ prices, but don’t be afraid to ask for their best price, especially if you’re purchasing multiple items.


To read more about the Round Top Antiques Show, check out: Ten Antiques Venues and Fall 2016 Antiques Shows: Burton/Carmine, Round Top, and Warrenton. We asked show venue owners and promoters to provide, in their own words, show descriptions. Read about shows in Fayetteville, Lexington and Kenney here: Show descriptions for Fayetteville, Kenney and Lexington


by Lorie Woodward Cantu and Katie Dickie Stavinhoha