Finding Treasure in YoCo: Shop Through History

BY JASON MCSHERRY

Did you know there are countless treasures to be found throughout YoCo? History and stories await you in the trove of antiques and valuables from times past strewn across the county. Whether you seek estate jewelry, retro fashion, mid-century bakeware, vintage video games, architectural salvage, or classic literature, you can find it all in YoCo! Whatever the treasure search for may be, the hunt may be even more precious.

Here are just a few of the many antiques and collectible stores throughout YoCo:

Black Rose Antiques and Collectibles

1100 Eichelberger St STE 3, Hanover, PA 17331 | blackroseantiques.com

Hanover’s Black Rose Antiques and Collectibles boasts more than 100 booths filled to the brim with furniture, collectibles, estate jewelry, and more. All on a single floor, it is easy to get turned around while digging through the bountiful racks, stacks, and cases.

Dover Antique Mall

5010 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315 | doverantiquemall.com

On the outskirts of town, you’ll find the Dover Antique Mall. With two floors and more than 130 vendors, there’s bound to be a find for everyone!

Refindings

Downtown York

downtownyorkpa.com

Within the city of York, numerous stops await you with even more treasures to be discovered.

Refindings is an architectural and salvage warehouse with 14,000 square feet of vendors with thousands of vintage items, authentic and repurposed antiques, stained glass, ironworks, and architectural finds. In Downtown York, Artemis Vintage Market has multiple vendors with antiques, vintage pieces, collectibles, and handmade items.

If you are looking for vintage apparel, Boho Bella, m.elene.vintage, and Revolt Style Studio are just a few of the many shops downtown that carry a variety of designer brands and trendy vintage clothing and accessories.

For a more specialized treasure, visit the York Emporium and browse dozens of shelves housing about 500,000 vintage and modern books, and cases of mid-century to present vinyl records, science fiction and militaria collectibles of all kinds. The Dark Parlour Haus of Obscurities offers a variety of antiquities, including funerary and mortuary pieces, medical and religious iconography, and other obscure ephemera.

Refindings

Grey Beards of Jacobus

51 N Main St, Jacobus, PA 17407

The town of Jacobus is home to the Grey Beards of Jacobus, which was named the Best of the Best antique store for 2021 by the York Daily Record. With four floors of vendor booths, be careful not to get lost with the continually changing antiques and collectibles lining every nook and cranny of the building.

Grey Beards of Jacobus

Shrewsbury Antique Center

65 N Highland Dr, Shrewsbury, PA 17361 | shrewsburyantiquecenter.com

Once an old sewing factory, the Shrewsbury Antique Center is the oldest multi-dealer antique shop in YoCo and features more than 10,000 square feet of booth space over three levels.

American Daydream Antiques & Miscellanea

3790 E Market St, York, PA 17402 | americandaydreamantiques.com

In the village of Stonybrook lies the American Daydream Antiques & Miscellanea, a newly renovated barn opened in 2019 and filled with antiques, vintage, handmade and homemade products. This store also specializes in preserving York County historical memorabilia.

Our YoCo Finds:

Stauffer’s Nif-Ty Butter Pretzels Tin

Everyone loves Stauffer’s infamous Animal Crackers! But the D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Company has been baking crackers, cookies, biscuits, and pretzels in York County for 150 years. This vintage Nif-Ty Butter Pretzel tin is from the 1950’s and has an eye-catching print that looks great in any home. You can find similar tins for $20 to $30.

Cigar Molds and Drying Trays

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, York County was one of the largest producers of cigars in the world. During the height of production, Red Lion had more than 100 cigar factories and residents had the highest per capita income of anywhere in the United States. These wooden cigar molds and drying trays were used to shape and dry cigars before shipping. With numerous ways to display or repurpose these molds (visit Molly’s Courtyard Café in York and take a close look at the sides of their counter), they are a bargain at $20 to $30 each.

Harley-Davidson Roadmaster Sportster Bicycle

A stalwart of American and York County history, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company has been manufacturing their iconic motorcycles in York since 1973. When the Harley-Davidson Roadmaster Sportster bicycle came out in 1994, it was a must have for every kid in the neighborhood. Featuring a starter button with throttling noise and a functioning odometer, the Sportster bicycle was the next best thing to a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Vintage Roadmaster Sportster bicycles sell for $200 to $300.