Earlier this week we mentioned we were finally able to stop by AIM (aka Antiques in Manchester) after hearing much buzz about it around town.
AIM is a self proclaimed open air upscale antique mall — open to the public every Saturday in the heart of Manchester right underneath an open walk-through. We noticed it right away with their great signage and colorful vintage furniture displayed at the opening.
The market underpass was lined on each side with rows of local antiques and vintage dealers offering really unique finds. Tim and I have visited our fair share of antique malls and I have to agree this one had a little more of an upscale/tailored feel to the offerings.
For those of you unfamiliar, Tim actually runs two vintage Etsy shops of his own — Behind the Screen Door and Vintage Crack. Because we both have an affinity for thing of the past, we're always so curious to what we might come across and also enjoy learning more about what other people like to collect and pass on throughout their journeys.
We loved the outdoor setting and were able to bring Basil right along with us. As the weather gets cooler, I think an outdoor fire-pit and hot cider/coffee vendors could make the underpass feel even more cozy and seasonal.
While we made a quick stop this go round before heading down to the beach, we're looking forward to visiting this market much more and probably won't have empty hands the next time we leave.
We'd definitely recommend stopping by one weekend in here if you're looking for something fun to do and for anyone interested in the possibility of participating in AIM as an antiques or vintage dealer — it looks like they have regular openings at only $10 - $15 to set up. Find all the details on the AIM website and check out their Facebook page for more updates.
On a related note, we just got word of another event coming up in the Manchester area we wanted to help spread the word about: A new local artist support entity, aRtVA in RVA, has been created to promote independent artists and craftspeople in Richmond, Virginia.
aRtVA will be hosting their debut event as a holiday shopping market that will take place on Sunday, December 4 from 12 pm to 5 at The Bankuet Place in Manchester. The show is designed to showcase a selection of up and coming Virginia based artisans as well as talented craftspeople and their handiwork in a bazaar style setting. In addition to artists and craft vendors, seasonal food and wine are also in the works. We'll be excited to attend this new local event and hopefully get some holiday shopping done to boot.
Those interested in participating as a vendor should contact aRtVAinRVA@gmail.com or check out the aRtVA Facebook page for an additional info and an application by tomorrow, Friday, 10/28/2011.
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