Some antique malls leave you feeling like you need a second mortgage. Others feel like a good thrift store with better lighting. A Vermont dealer who goes by Patty says Revival Antiques in Swanton falls firmly in the second camp, and she took her camera through about a third of the building to show why it is worth the drive.

Patty, who runs the Relatively Refined channel, picked a perfect fall day for antiquing. She started with a stop at a local bakery in St. Albans, fueled up on baked goods and headed to the mall, which sits on Route 7 in Swanton, Vermont.

A quick note before the tour: Patty is upfront that she may be a little biased, because she keeps a small kiosk and a bookshelf of treasures in the mall herself. Her tags are marked with her initials. That said, what she shows is a real walk through the aisles, and the prices she mentions are specific.

What You Find Inside

Patty says you could spend hours here, and judging by her tour, that is no exaggeration. The vendors keep their booths neat and change them with the seasons, and she describes the pricing as very fair. She likes the variety. There is glassware, which she calls a huge weakness, along with primitive furniture, crocks, artwork, ephemera, linens, vintage clothing, children’s clothing and books.

She pointed out a duck decoy, noting that they are very popular right now and hard to find, and said a few were on the shelves. A primitive cupboard in chippy green paint caught her eye, as did a foot warmer, which she said she was curious to see in action but guessed would not end well for her. A booth full of country kitchen goods had everything from flour sifters to muffin tins and lemon reamers, set up like a vintage kitchen with baskets of apples.

A few prices stood out. A blue and white chinoiserie piece was $10, which she called a fantastic buy and wondered why it did not come home with her. She guessed it was probably gone by now, a reminder that things move quickly. A cut glass covered dish that looked like one her grandmother kept filled with candy on the coffee table was $12. A crystal ice bucket was $18, which she said was more like a thrift store price than an antique mall price. Several vendors were also running 20 percent off sales.

Collectors Will Find Their Thing

Patty’s own taste runs to glass, chinoiserie and china. She spotted what she thought might be Waterford crystal, a milk glass vase with a pretty fluted shape, a reticulated fruit basket and several rose bowls, which she uses as tissue holders. She also saw Spode, Limoges, vintage cookbooks, tins, postcards and sewing notions.

One booth held a collection of Hall China in the red poppy pattern, a popular and hard-to-find line that includes a fluted baker and nesting bowls. Another had a Johnson Brothers piece labeled as a coaster. Patty noted that anything small is popular right now, from butter pats to miniatures. Vermont-themed items showed up as well, like maple leaf syrup jars, and she explained that sap buckets and maple products are popular in the area.

The most nostalgic piece may have been an old post office mailbox with combination locks. She grew up with a post office box with a right-left-right combination, and she remembers collecting the mail on the walk home from the bus stop. If you grew up with one, she said, let her know.

Plan Your Own Antique Mall Trip

The mall is open six days a week and closed on Tuesdays. By Patty’s account, hours are 10 to 5 on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10 to 4 on Saturday and Sunday. As always, check before you go, since hours change. Whether you are in Vermont or somewhere else, her approach is worth borrowing.

• Do several passes. She says you have to look high and low, and that you need to go through more than once. Treasures hide on top shelves and under tables.
• Buy it when you see it. She went back for a planter on another visit and it was gone. If you love a piece and the price is right, do not count on it being there later.
• Look for booth sales. Many vendors run discounts, and a quick question at the register can tell you who is marked down.
• Know your area’s specialties. Regional items, like Vermont maple goods, can be hard to find elsewhere and are fun to collect.
• Be friendly. She says the owner and the vendors are kind, and a pleasant shopper often gets a better experience.
• Take notes on glass and china marks. Maker names help you spot a bargain, like possible Waterford, Spode or Hall.
• Bring a measuring tape. Primitive furniture and cupboards can be tricky to fit in a car, and it helps to know before you commit.

Antique malls remain one of the best places to buy something with a story. The best ones are those where prices make sense and the booths are cared for. By Patty’s reckoning, Revival Antiques is exactly that. Go early, bring patience and expect to leave with more than you planned.

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