Find an eclectic selection at Park Street Antiques

Vintage, antique, and new items in a pet-friendly shop

—With more than 25 dealers and a wide variety of unique vintage and antique items, Park Street Antiques is a must-stop for collectors. Located in downtown Paso Robles, this charming and inviting shop has been a welcome addition to the area since opening in August of 2024. Now, celebrating a year in business, owner Betsy Hill is excited to welcome new and returning customers.

“I strive to offer the absolute best variety of items,” Hill said. “It’s so fun having one-of-a-kind, unique items that might catch someone’s eye and make them think, ‘I absolutely have to get it!’ It’s a great feeling for me and my dealers.”

Expansive front windows give passersby a peek inside the meticulously staged shop boasting comfy chairs, a dressing room, plenty of mirrors, and open, accessible aisles. The interior décor, with high ceilings, bright white walls, and strategically placed lighting, is refreshing.

A dish filled with nostalgic candy sits at the front desk, and background music from the 40s, 50s, and 60s adds to the ambiance. The dog treat jar is always full, too.

Everything about this charming store adds up to a comfortable and pleasant shopping experience. There’s even a fun mascot of sorts – the fraternity sweater Robert Carradine wore on screen in the cult classic movie, “Revenge of the Nerds”, sits alongside an autographed photo and handwritten certificate of authenticity from the auction house.

There’s something for everyone at Park Street Antiques

To say Park Street Antiques carries a little bit of everything would be an understatement. The dealers are an eclectic group. Their specialty booths feature vintage jeans and T-shirts, antique glassware, hard-to-find records, video games, cards, comics, jewelry, and more. There’s also a wide variety of Southwestern and Native American offerings, books, linens, furniture, wall decor, barware, dish sets, and postcards.

The same goes for vintage home items, with people of all ages turning to classics for decorating and everyday use. A young couple recently purchased a half dozen eclectic art pieces to adorn their bare walls, including a watercolor of Dennis the Menace created by Hank Ketcham, the original comic artist. Customers often see furniture or knick-knacks like their parents had, or perhaps a dish with a vintage pattern they want.

The dealers bring in new items and move things around to keep their individual areas fresh. Welcoming and knowledgeable, they work together to ensure a pleasurable shopping experience.

“We all take pride in this shop, and we place importance on featuring quality items while keeping our prices affordable,” Hill said. “We each have our own niches, and several dealers come in at least once daily, which means we consistently have new items. So, if you’ve visited us before, be sure to come back because you’re likely to experience a completely different store.”

Repurposing, restyling, and finding the past

“It’s really exciting when people find a new purpose for an item,” Hill said. “One customer bought a vintage ashtray to tile with mosaics and turn it into a little dish. When people repurpose items, it’s really cool to think about how it’s lasted 50 or 75 years before being given a new life and not ending up in the landfill.”

“Our clothing, shoes, and hats are popular, particularly the vintage wear,” Hill said. “So many people are into repurposing items, especially clothing. We’ll have teens and 20-somethings pick out long, beautiful vintage night gowns with gorgeous lace and trim, repurpose them as dresses, put on some boots and a cowboy hat, and they’re ready to go!”

Another customer had her grandmother’s burnt orange, 1960s-era Sunbeam hand mixer for years before it suddenly stopped working. She loved to bake, and begrudgingly purchased a new one, only to discover its poor quality. “So, she came into our shop one day, and her jaw just dropped because one of our vendors had a like-new, vintage burnt orange Sunbeam hand mixer still in the box. She scooped that right up!”

From unique wine glasses to a busy shop

Hill marvels at how what was once her hobby has turned into a thriving business. About 10 years ago, while helping her husband, a local real estate agent, host housewarming parties for his buyers, she started thrifting unique wine glasses. That led to her discovering a knack for buying and reselling items online, and later signing on as a dealer in two local stores. Hill had so much fun and thought about what it would take to open her own shop. A friend told her about the space that Park Street Antiques now occupies, and within a few months of signing the lease and reaching out to the local vintage and antique dealer community, the shop was filled and ready to open.

“It’s something that makes me happy, and how many people can say that about their line of work? This area is just so charming; I love being in downtown Paso, and I absolutely adore all of my dealers. I love talking with all of the people that visit us, seeing new items being brought in, learning about their history, and sharing in the excitement people experience when they find that special item. It’s one of my favorite parts of having this special place in our community.”

Park Street Antiques, located at 1335 Park Street in downtown Paso Robles, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Friday and Saturday until 6 p.m. Follow their Instagram and Facebook pages for the latest events and specials, or call (805) 296-3040.

— Meagan Friberg