Top shopping spots that carry rare, distinctive, and somebody’s favorite eccentric piece. Learn why upcyclers and creative designers love shopping in this historic epicenter for artisans and antiques.
"Oh my gosh, I love it," says my friend, spying a dark wood table crafted to look like a giant storybook with four accompanying storybook stools. This table is nearly 3.5 feet long and 2 feet wide, painted in intricate detail too look like a giant hardcover version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Along the "spine" painted with flowers and a gold flourish we discover pull out drawers, presumably a spot to stow your quill and ink.
We’re in Ironclad Marketplace. On the outside, it’s an unassuming warehouse. On the inside, it’s a 12,000 square-foot antique and collectibles market with nearly 40 vendors who sell everything from furniture to handmade crafts and every sort of somebody’s got-to-have-it you can imagine. "Ugh!" she groans. "Already sold."
One-of-a-kind finds like this table are the best part about shopping in Kinston. Established in 1762, this historic town is ripe with vintage furniture and glassware which ends up in treasure boxes like Ironclad Marketplace.The town is chock full of small boutiques, antique and collectible stores, and art galleries featuring the works of local artists and craftspeople. Today, we’re shopping for the fun of it and to find gifts that spark the question, "Where in the world did you find that?" Read on to discover where to shop for things you can only find in Kinston.
At Ironclad Marketplace, we’re joined by other hunters who are equally delighted when they find items that speak to them. A vintage metal fire truck toy has a middle-aged man smiling, despite obviously being along for the ride with his wife. A visitor marvels at the array of cast iron skillets, kettles, and cauldrons at another booth. A 10-year-old boy breaks free from the bored stare he’s been sporting when he spies a booth dedicated entirely to comics and superhero toys. My friend quickly gets over her disappointment about the storybook table when she notices a pie safe like the one that used to be in her grandmother’s kitchen. Vintage farmhouse cheers her up every time. As for me, I fall in love with a hand-painted lamp and discover milk glass vases in pristine condition at very reasonable prices, perfect for redecorating a drab bookshelf in my office or maybe cheering up my dining room as a centerpiece.
Our next stop is Leon Thomas and it’s my turn to say, "oh my gosh, I love it," when I spot a dreamy, black jersey maxi dress I can’t live without. We stroll around and I pick up a precious smocked gingham dress for my niece, one of several options from their extensive children’s clothing collection. My friend is temporarily stumped at the jewelry counter deciding between a beaded pendant necklace and a flirty pair of bright yellow tassel earrings before she treats herself to both.
A fellow shopper comes to the counter with a gorgeous, cross-body satchel with a bold green and yellow print. We both ask in unison, "Where did you find that?"
The boutique clerk points us in the right direction. On our way to handbag heaven, she tells us about the 60 artisans represented in the shop. Everything from hyperlocal honey from less than a mile away to Canadian made "schrapnel jewelry," glazed pottery, soaps, and local art–both watercolors and prints–depicting seascapes and local landmarks. We leave the shop laden with gifts for ourselves and our loved ones.
We stroll a few blocks over after hearing about Consigned Designs from another shopper. Outside the double-doors of this classic downtown storefront we see a few strong fellows loading up an entire bedroom set: gorgeous dark oak headboard, chest of drawers, even an entryway bench with attached floor-length mirror. We walk in and understand why the local landmark is part of the word on the street.
Not your average furniture store, this 10,000 square-foot showroom keeps our heads turning and our feet moving as we peruse the upscale new and used home furnishings and quirky decorator items. We find an entire set of Wizard of Oz action figures. Gone with the Wind collectible plates I haven’t seen since a 1980s infomercial are all there, too. I find an old bar top Casino King slot machine and am tempted to purchase it for a gambling man I know. My friend finds an antique sewing machine she swears will be just the end-table her living room needs. I wonder aloud for the umpteenth time why she has a designer’s eye and I can barely match my socks.
The owner tells us that inventory changes frequently. A fellow shopper overhears and agrees, "It’s like new every time I’m in here. That’s part of the fun."
Though I’m tempted by a sleek sideboard for my dining room, I settle for a pair of vintage silver candlesticks. My favorite thing about shopping is leaving with something I didn’t set out to buy. Kinston is definitely the place to shop when you don’t know what you want until you see it.