“Are there antique stores near me?” That’s a question people frequently ask when they suddenly need to sell their antiques and collectibles. It’s rare for people to ask because they wake up with a burning desire to buy them. The short answer is that antique stores, antique shops, and antique malls are declining. This is true here where we live in Silver Spring, Maryland and throughout the country.
If you’re trying to find a company to buy your stuff, a company you can sell your parents’ possessions to, etc., this means there are fewer local brick-and-mortar retail shops are there to help you. The decline also means you may be more likely to need an estate liquidation company like Orion’s Attic to make your treasures and your clutter disappear.
Why are there no antique stores near me? Demographics.
The reasons are often painful for collectors, homeowners, and estate executors to hear. Start with demographics. The harsh reality is that there are a lot more people dying and downsizing than there are buying and collecting. The sad reality is that there are fewer people today who want what you love than there used to be. China cabinets are largely worthless because so few people buy and use china. They don’t want grandfather clocks, either. And don’t bother trying to sell your Hummel figurines unless you have the truly rare ones.
Demand for antiques decreasing due to environmental concerns
An increased sense of environmental ethics also helps explain why the demand for antiques and antique shops is decreasing. This is a good thing. Living a more sustainable lifestyle is unquestionably better for the earth. Environmental values are at the heart of everything we do at Orion’s Attic. They’re why we’re the green choice for your estate liquidation and home cleanout project.
Minimalism trend makes it harder to find antique shops
The trend toward minimalism isn’t going away anytime soon. Marie Kondo gets a disproportionate amount of credit for driving more people to buy and keep less stuff. She also recently changed her tune about the value of keeping a home tidy. But her central tenant that less stuff can sometimes produce greater happiness isn’t wrong. People everywhere are writing about why having less stuff is making them happier. And, of course, there’s a whole cottage industry designed to help them achieve that life.
Recognizing why there are fewer “antique shops near me” is the first step toward recognizing you may need a different kind of help. Estate sales are often a poor choice for selling your favorite treasures or liquidating an entire estate. Our company had the foresight long ago to focus much more on our estate liquidation services than buying and reselling antiques and collectibles. Contact us today to find out how we can solve your estate liquidation challenges.
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About Us: Orion’s Attic is a full-service estate liquidation, downsizing and home cleanout company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. We also buy antiques and collectibles. We serve Montgomery County (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Takoma Park, etc.), Baltimore County, Frederick County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, and the greater metro Washington D.C., Maryland, Northern Virginia) area.
This abandoned antiques mall we passed in Georgia represents the ghost towns so many antique store buildings are today.
