Looking for an out-and-about fall afternoon packed with delights? Northern Michigan’s antique shops are filled with untold treasures. Our next stop: Rolling Hills Antiques in Traverse City. (More stops below.)
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– A is for Autumn and Antiques –
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Destination: Rolling Hills Antiques // 5085 Barney Rd., Traverse City
An 1870 dairy barn turned antique shop is hidden away on Barney Road. You’ll find it down a tree-lined driveway (it is indeed on a rolling hill). Owners Glen and Diane Lundin specialize in American antique furniture, art, oriental rugs and accessories from the early 1700s to mid-1900s. When we visited, there was an 1835 solid cherry desk that had been owned by Oprah Winfrey until she sold it at an auction in 2013 to raise money for her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Talk about a conversation starter.
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Fun finds: If you’re on the hunt for gorgeous oriental rugs, this is the spot.
Don’t miss: The barn’s loft, complete with a creaky wooden floor and soaring ceiling, is full of little treasures—tea sets, jewelry boxes, lamps.
We fell in love with: A magnificent hanging stained glass with a vibrant floral design.
Related Read: Antique Day Trips: Find Vintage Treasures in Elk Rapids
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Stop for: Farm Club. Yes, it is a working farm, but it’s also a destination market, restaurant and brewery with a large, family-friendly lawn and plenty of outdoor seating. The menu changes throughout the year—gemelli pasta with celery root crème and garlicky breadcrumbs, saskatoon shortcake, a blackened zucchini sandwich with basil mayo and mozzarella. (The onion rings, made with a sweet onion variety called Ailsa Craig, are legendary, and you must order them if you visit while they’re in season.) The market at Farm Club is stocked daily with fresh bread, produce and canned beer along with gorgeous cookbooks, pottery and those gourmet salts that are so fun to sprinkle. Prepare to be tempted.
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Photo by Allison Jarrell