The Lost Traveler recently visited Washington searching for old things. Known to some as "Little Washington," but to true treasure hunters, it’s a hotspot for finding other people’s discarded stuff. If your idea of a wild weekend involves unearthing porcelain figurines that look like they’ve seen more drama than a soap opera, or admiring furniture so old it remembers when gas was 15 cents a gallon, or that elusive "perfect" chipped teacup to complete your collection of things no one else understands, you’re in for a treat.

The Southern Nest

There is a fine line between shopaholic and helping the economy. This is a fact you will quickly come to realize at The Southern Nest. Swoon at the home decor and cottage farmhouse furniture. Find inspiration for your home in their selection of tables, lamps, jewelry, and gifts. Need a custom approach to your purchase? Consult with one of their in-house designers who will be happy to help you think through a project or space that needs a glow-up.

Harbor District Market

Downtown Washington is not the place you’ll find another big box store. Around here, you can enjoy browsing through independent shops, boutiques and galleries. Start at Harbor Market District. It’s home to 26 full-time vendors offering a little of everything. Pick up a few bars of handmade soap. Invest in a local landscape painting. Grab some produce from local farms. Or indulge in some local chocolates. (We won’t tell anyone) You’re sure to find a little piece of imagination that you can box up and take home with you.

Cottage Junkies

If you can look at a door and imagine it being a coffee table, this is the place for you. Cottage Junkies specializes in taking found objects and turning them into something totally new. Restoring pieces of furniture found in yard sales and forgotten closets. Or creating handmade accessories found nowhere else. When you shop here, it’s not for something you’re looking for, but for something you didn’t even know you wanted. Prepare to be inspired. Prepare to walk away with a little bit of amazing loaded into your backseat

Flash from the Past

If you found it in Grandma’s attic, you probably will find it here. Flash from the Past, as the name implies, is about all things antiques and vintage. Browse through small collectibles from decades when you didn’t need glasses to see the price tag. Check out decades-old furniture and accessories. Shovels crafted into a vase. Boots turned into a planter. Unique finds are everywhere and ready to start a second life back home with you.

.Manifest Antiques & Interiors

This isn’t just a store – it’s a time machine. Step inside, and you’ll feel like you’ve entered a parallel universe where the past and present throw a fabulous cocktail party. One moment you’re admiring a century-old rocking chair that whispers, "I’ve seen some things," and the next, you’re ogling a modern lamp that could’ve been plucked straight from an art gallery. The owners? Part treasure hunters, part interior design wizards, and 100% delightful. If our calculations are correct, when you check this store out, you’re going to need to reassess your trunk space.

Learn more about shopping in Washington: https://visitwashingtonnc.com/things-to-do/#/

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