NORTHEAST OHIO Malls full of antiques

By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Antiques? Did somebody say antiques?
If you're like me, your pulse quickens at the mere mention of the word.
There's nothing else you'd rather be doing on a Sunday afternoon than perusing the never-ending corridors of some gigantic antiques mall, searching for a bit of beauty and nostalgia among well-loved furniture and forgotten bric-a-brac.
Well, lucky for you (and me), there happen to be dozens of great antiques malls in Northeast Ohio. Better yet, some of them are so close to one another that you can plan a route and hit them all in one day.
Let your journey begin in Ashtabula County at the Moses Antique Mall at 4135 State Road. This is a medium-size complex with about 60 dealers and a mishmash of antiques -- everything from costume jewelry to furniture.
The best thing about this place is its affordable prices. I once bought a lovely oak pressed-back child's rocker there for $35, and if you know your antiques, you know that these days, dealers want a fortune for children's rockers.
Moses Antique Mall is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and the easiest way to get there is to take state Route 11 north to the Route 20 exit. Turn left at the end of the ramp and follow state Route 20 west about one mile, then turn left again onto State Street. The mall will be less than a mile ahead on the right.
For the next leg of your journey, head southwest to Geauga County. The quickest way from Ashtabula is to take state Route 11 south and catch Interstate 90 west to state Route 528 south. From Ashtabula, it will take about 40 minutes traveling south on state route 528 to get to Middlefield and the Country Collections Antique Mall.
This quaint little mall is at 15848 Nauvoo Road. Nauvoo Road intersects state Route 528, and you'll turn right off 528 to get to the mall (watch for the sign). The prices are a little higher at this antiques mall, but that's what happens as you get closer to Cleveland -- the cost of everything from gasoline to real estate shoots up, and antiques are no exception.
The Country Collections Antique Mall has about 30 dealers and offers a variety of antiques including glassware, furniture and miscellaneous smalls. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Stop to eat: If shopping for antiques makes you hungry, Mary Yoder's Amish restaurant is only about one mile away on state Route 608 in Middlefield. The food is delicious and the portions are generous, but don't plan to dine there on a Sunday since all Amish restaurants are closed Sundays.
Don't leave Geauga County until you have also visited Auntie's Antique Mall at 15567 state Route 422 in Parkman. To get to Auntie's from the Country Collections mall, take state Route 608 southeast to state Route 528 south to state Route 422 west.
Travel about one mile west on state Route 422, and you'll see Auntie's sitting far off the beaten path on the south side of the highway. This mall offers 14,000 square feet of antiques in a brand-new building with a recent addition.
Once again, expect the prices to be higher at this mall since you are getting closer to Cleveland, but although the prices are higher, the quality of antiques is first-rate.
I once bought a beautiful and unique piano stool with ball and claw feet here. It perfectly matches my circa-1893 upright piano, and I have never seen another one like it anywhere.
Auntie's is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
After visiting Auntie's, steer your vehicle toward Portage County. Just take state U.S. Route 422 west until you hit state Route 44 south. Less than 30 minutes later, you will find the AAA I-76 Antique Mall at 4284 Lynn Road in Rootstown (Lynn Road is directly off state Route 44).
This mall is a whopper of a place: a state-of-the-art facility that offers more than 50,000 square feet of antiques sold by more than 400 dealers.
You can get lost in this one and will probably find just about anything you are looking for. The downside is that the prices are higher than what you would see elsewhere, although I have occasionally found some deals here.
Nice buys: I once bought a very nice oak parlor table for $99 and an ornate amethyst oil lamp for $10. The oil lamp has a hairline crack in it, but even so, you can't go wrong for $10. I've seen similar lamps for $50 to $65.
The AAA I-76 Mall is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It is approximately 27 miles from Youngstown, and if you want to get there straight from Youngstown, just take U.S. Interstate 76 west and you'll find it directly off the freeway at Exit 38N.
There are numerous other antiques shops in nearby Ravenna -- to find out where, just pick up a few fliers while you are at the AAA I-76 mall and venture into downtown Ravenna where many shops are clustered.
If you manage to get out of Ravenna with a dollar in your wallet and an inch to spare in the trunk of your car, continue south on state Route 44 to Hartville in Stark County. Hartville Antiques, a mall with 10,000 square feet of treasures, is at 788 state Route 619.
This mall features decent prices and a lot of smaller items and some furniture. The hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. This mall is closed Sundays.
Hartville Antiques is housed in a building that was once home to the Hartville Kitchen restaurant, an eatery renowned for its delicious dinners and elegant, but down-home atmosphere.
The new Hartville Kitchen at 1015 state Route 619 is a huge, spectacular place less than a quarter of a mile from its previous location. Even if you aren't very hungry, you simply must dine here -- but just don't plan to go on a Sunday since the kitchen will be closed.
Just four miles south of Hartville in the tiny town of Cairo is the Route 43 Antique Mall at 8340 state Route 43.
It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. This mall doesn't look very big from the outside, but once you are inside, you will be pleasantly surprised by the fine quality of antiques housed in the rambling, winding converted garage.
There are plenty of other antiques shops in the Hartville area, but before you spend your remaining pennies here, don't forget, there are more antiques malls in your future.
Mahoning Valley: Turn your car toward Columbiana County and the Pottery City Antique Mall at 409 Washington St. in East Liverpool.
Housed in an old, four-story building that was once a furniture store, this mall offers a pleasing variety of antiques sold by about 200 dealers. The basement of the place is chock full of furniture, and the prices are reasonable.
The Pottery City Antique Mall is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
To get there from Youngstown, take state Route 11 south to the downtown East Liverpool exit, then turn left. At the next light, turn right onto Fourth Street and follow it two blocks to 409 Washington St.
When it's time to head back toward Youngstown, take state Route 11 north to state Route 82 east and shop at one of the best antiques malls around -- the Valley View Antique Mall at 7281 Warren-Sharon Road in Brookfield.
This one is right in your back yard and is one of the largest in Ohio with plenty of variety and reasonable prices.
Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, one of the best things about the Valley View mall is its large selection of furniture.
If you're searching for a piece to refinish at a bargain price, you won't be disappointed, and neither will you be disappointed if you are looking to pay more for something top-of-the-line.
When shopping at antiques malls, keep in mind that some malls will give at least a 10 percent discount on items more than $10 that are purchased with cash -- all you have to do is be brave enough to ask for a better deal.
Also remember that many dealers offer discounts on all merchandise more than $10 during the holidays -- just look for signs posted in individual booths.
Another rule of thumb when you hit the antiques malls is to leave big purses behind and carry a small wallet or one of those change purses that you tie around your waist.
At some antiques malls, management won't allow shoppers to carry large bags or purses as a precaution against shoplifting.
Now that you know all of that, all you need to do is get ready to shop.
So put on a comfortable pair of shoes, fill up your vehicle's gas tank -- let's hope you have access to a truck or a minivan for those large purchases -- and hit the highway.