By Alice T. Carter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW

For collectors of antiques or those attempting to restore an older home there’s no finer way to spend the day than rooting through shops in search of the perfect doorknob, door or decorative doodad.

It’s also a fairly accurate way to become familiar with a new acquaintance or potential partner.

Learning what draws someone’s interest can be an early indicator of compatibility. Your eyes linger lovingly on a chrome and glass table from the ’70s; she’s drawn to the ornately carved, full-length walnut Victorian mirror or cooing over a display case full of apple-cheeked Hummel figurines.

He insists you split the lunch check, because he’s strapped for cash, then pulls out the plastic to invest in a half-dozen Bowie knives with bone handles. Your find of the day is a vintage vase by a local potter that you snapped up for $15, but know is worth at least $90.

With at least nine dealers in and around Canonsburg, an excursion to this Washington County town can be a rewarding experience, whatever your agenda.

It’s a trip best taken on a Saturday or Sunday when the greatest number of shops are open.

Even then, if you’re heading to a specific shop, it’s best to call ahead to make sure hours haven’t changed unexpectedly.

10:30 a.m.

Enjoy a late, leisurely breakfast at your home or meet your companion at a favorite diner for a big, bountiful breakfast that will carry you through a full day of shopping.

Your destination du jour is a section of northwestern Washington County.

Begin by heading south on Interstate 79 to Exit 46, turn left on McMurray Road and follow it to Route 19, also known as Washington Road.

After turning right onto Washington Road, you’ll encounter three antique shops in rapid succession — Route 19 Antique Mall, Antique Center of Strabane and Antique Junction.

They’re a good warm-up for the shopping sprint that lies ahead.

Each is large and offers a broad and eclectic mix of antiques and collectibles from primitive stoneware crocks to marble-topped dressers.

Multiple dealers offer wares that date from the 18th through 20th centuries from hand-stitched quilts and samplers to cartoon-emblazoned, fast-food glassware.

Route 19 Antique Mall, 2597 Washington Road, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Details: 724-746-3277.

Antique Center of Strabane, 2510 Washington Road, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Details, 724-745-8445 or online.

Antique Junction, 2475 Washington Road, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Details: 724-746-5119 or online.

Noon

Head south on Washington Road to the next traffic light and turn right onto Weavertown Road, toward Canonsburg.

As you near the bottom of the hill, look for Canonsburg Antique Mall II.

It’s a huge, old wooden schoolhouse filled with three floors of nicely displayed antiques. There’s an abundance of vintage toys in large wooden cases on the first floor and costume jewelry and other small pieces.

Staircases are lined with an assortment of frame lithographs, oil paintings and old photos. Upstairs rooms display large pieces of Victorian furniture, clocks, vases, figurines and period Halloween and Christmas decorative items.

Canonsburg Antique Mall II, 99 Weavertown Road, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Details: 724-745-1050.

12:30 p.m.

Next, continue down Weavertown Road. If you’re famished, you’ll find a village of fast-food spots on your right just before you cross the railroad tracks.

Continue across the tracks and turn left on Adams Avenue.

You first encounter Architectural Emporium. It’s a treasure house for people who like to decorate with big authoritative statements.

Its two floors are filled with ornately carved wood and stone mantels, columns and capitals, Tudoresque chandeliers with faux candle lights, wrought-iron gates, stained-glass window panels and liturgical pieces, brass doorknobs and hardware.

Practically next door is Canonsburg Antique Mall I. A cooperative venture of several dozen dealers, the shop offers an eclectic mix in a wide span of periods and price ranges. Look for stained glass, furniture, dishes, decorative items.

Architectural Emporium, 207 Adams Ave., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. Details: 724-746-4301.

Canonsburg Antique Mall I , 145 Adams Ave., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Details: 724-745-1333 or online.

2 p.m.

By now you’re probably ready for a break and a snack. We suggest something sugary for a quick energy rush.

You’ll find Sarris Candies on the left of Adams Avenue. It’s a popular emporium for candies and handmade chocolates in a bewildering variety of shapes — slice of pizza, Dora the Explorer, alphabet letters, etc. Among their specialty items are chocolate-covered pretzels and popcorn. Also available are chocolate-covered nuts, creams, cherries, meltaways and cookies.

The store’s ice cream parlor comes to your rescue with booths, tables and an array of sundaes, sodas, shakes or just a classic dish of ice cream. We’re partial to the Tropical Twins — two scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with pineapple fruit and marshmallow sauce plus whipped cream, toasted coconut and a maraschino cherry. But if another combo catches your eye — say peanut butter ice cream covered in hot fudge sauce — the staff will gladly comply.

Sarris Candies, 511 Adams Ave., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Details: 888-727-7471 or online

3 p.m.

Refreshed and refueled, it’s time to hit some more shops. Head back down Adams Avenue, which turns seamlessly into East Pike Street. Make a brief stop at the borough’s tribute to its native son and singer — the Perry Como statue outside the Canonsburg Borough Building.

Whether you consider it trivial kitsch or a moving homage can serve as a further gauge to how your tastes mesh with your companion.

Your final stop of the day is a trio of shops on West Pike Street between South Central and Jefferson avenues.

Park in the metered lot at Pike and Jefferson. Your first stop is Annabelle’s Antiques, a small shop crowded with antiques and curios, with an emphasis on angels and articles from the Middle East and Asia. It’s a must if you’ve been craving a Thai spirit house or a figurine of an Egyptian deity.

Next is Tri-State Antique Center. If you’ve already overdosed on Victorian cabinetry and stained-glass panels, the shop’s concentration on mid-20th-century modern furniture with clean, shiny chrome lines, Lucite accessories and pink Princess telephones should refresh your palate.

The Tri-State shop merges with its next door neighbor, Where the Toys Are, through an interior doorway. The narrow shop is neatly and abundantly stocked with character collectibles, miniature airplanes, vintage game boards and tin wind-up toys guaranteed to evoke memories and buyer’s lust.

Annabelle’s Antiques, 51 W. Pike St., noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Details: 724-746-5950 or 724-746-1866.

Tri-State Antique Center, 47 W. Pike St., noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sunday. Details: 724-745-9116 or online

Where the Toys Are, 45 W. Pike St., noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays. Details: 724-745-4599 or online.

5:30 p.m.

With a few exceptions, the area’s antique shops close by 5 p.m. Fortunately that’s when Alfano’s at the Quail, near the Meadows Racetrack, starts serving dinner.

It’s an elegant location to cap off your day and celebrate your newfound treasures in an beautifully restored 170-year-old Greek Revival mansion.

Alfano’s at the Quail, 1445 Washington Road, 5 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Details: 724-229-2777 or online.

Alice T. Carter can be reached at acarter@tribweb.com or 412-320-7808.

source : www.pittsburghlive.com