Historic Ellicott City is full of shops where you can find antique, vintage and collectible one-of-a-kind items. We’ve rounded up four of the best antique shops in Ellicott City for buying furniture, as well as some tried and true tips for finding that perfect piece.
3720 Maryland Avenue | Ellicott City, MD 21043
The Antique Depot is an antiques, vintage, and collectibles mall housing about 70 different small businesses. New items come in almost every day so you never know what you are going to find!
8181 Main Street | Ellicott City, MD 21043-4929
Cottage Antiques offers furniture, collectibles, china and sports memorabilia, with lots of bargains in an inviting atmosphere.
Retropolitan Fine Antiques and Vintage
8197 Main Street | Ellicott City, MD 21043
Retropolitan’s showroom is filled with unique antique and vintage items, including furniture. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, they’re happy to search and help you find it!
Joan Eve Classics & Collectibles
8069-C Main Street | Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
You’ll find new and unique antique and collectible items each time you visit, including a selection of furniture with dressers, bureaus, tables, servers, chests and bonnets.
Tips for Buying Antique Furniture
Good bones
Look for furniture with good bones. Drawers should slide out easily and upholstered pieces should have sturdy frames.
Quality brands
Research brands of the era you are looking for before you start shopping. It may not be a brand that you’ve heard of but that doesn’t mean you should steer clear.
Don’t be scared of scratches
Don’t let minor scratches put you off. Many products on the market can fix minor flaws, and if you really love the piece, you could get it professionally refinished.
Bargain
If a piece of furniture has a lot of scratches, is not completely sturdy or will require more work, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. You don’t always have to pay full sticker price.
Visit often
Antique stores are get new items often so if you’re on the hunt for a perfect item, stop by frequently to be one of the first to see the new finds.
