My Favorite Vintage, Secondhand + Maker Stops in Asheville & Brevard, NC

There is something about a home filled with pieces that have a story.

I love a beautiful new sofa or the perfect custom piece as much as the next designer, but the spaces that feel the most interesting are rarely filled with things that all came from the same place or even the same decade. It’s the oddities, vintage art, handmade pieces, slightly weird objects and treasures you stumbled across somewhere unexpected that make a home feel collected instead of decorated. And honestly, searching for them is half the fun.

Give me a few friends, a coffee and a giant antique warehouse to dig through, and I am very happy.

On a recent weekend in Western North Carolina (celebrating my birthday), we spent one day shopping in Asheville and another around Brevard. These are the vintage, secondhand, salvage, art and maker spots I loved and the ones I’d absolutely go back to.

ASHEVILLE

Antique Tobacco Barn

We kicked things off at Antique Tobacco Barn, which has been a favorite of mine for more than 15 years.

The Tobacco Barn took a beating during Hurricane Helene, so seeing it back open (and better than ever) made this visit especially good.

This is a massive, booth-style antique market, which is one of my favorite ways to shop. Each vendor has a completely different eye, so you can turn a corner and go from beautiful antique case goods to vintage clothing to original art to something so wonderfully bizarre that you suddenly need to own it.

There is furniture, art, décor, clothing, jewelry, styling pieces and plenty of oddities. The building is huge, so give yourself time. There’s even a coffee shop in the middle when you need to refuel before round two.

Best for: Furniture, case goods, art, accessories, vintage fashion, styling pieces and unexpected treasures.

My tip: Don’t rush this one. Look high, look low and dig.

Sweeten Creek Antiques

Our second Asheville stop was Sweeten Creek Antiques, another multi-vendor antique market.

This one felt a little more random and leaned more toward smaller finds and collectibles than major furniture pieces, but that’s also part of the fun of antique shopping. You truly never know what you’re going to find.

My purchase? A few packs of unopened vintage baseball cards that are going straight into Christmas stockings. Sometimes the best find of the day has absolutely nothing to do with interiors.

Best for: Smaller vintage pieces, collectibles, accessories and inexpensive treasures.

Marquee

Marquee is one of my favorite stops in Asheville, period. If you love vintage but prefer a more elevated, curated experience, do not miss this one. Marquee brings together an incredible mix of art, beautifully curated vintage pieces, contemporary makers and genuinely fun objects. It feels creative and inspiring without feeling overly precious. There is always something that makes me stop and think, Where could I use THAT?

The surrounding River Arts District was hit incredibly hard by Hurricane Helene, and this area is still working to bring visitors back. Spending time and money here matters.

Best for: Art, elevated vintage, maker pieces, unusual accessories and design inspiration.

This would be at the top of my list if you only have time for a few stops.

Foundation Woodworks

While you're in the area, stop into Foundation Woodworks.

Their woodworking is beautiful, and they have incredible cutting boards and handcrafted pieces that make fantastic gifts or pieces you keep for yourself because they're too good to give away.

I always love incorporating something handmade into a home. You can feel the difference between an object that came off an assembly line and something another human actually created.

Best for: Handcrafted wood pieces, cutting boards and gifts.

The River Arts District looks very different since the hurricane. Unfortunately, several of the places I loved never reopened. But there is still so much happening here, including a climbing gym, brewery and skatepark, and it's an area worth supporting while it continues to rebuild.

BREVARD

The next day, we traded Asheville for Brevard and kept hunting.

Underground Salvage Co.

If you're into architectural salvage, vintage furniture and things with a little age and grit, Underground Salvage Co. is a must. This place is always a treasure hunt. You'll find salvage materials alongside furniture, art, accessories and pieces you probably didn't know you needed until you saw them.

What I especially appreciate is how organized it is. Salvage shops can sometimes require a certain level of... commitment. Underground Salvage gives you the thrill of digging without feeling completely chaotic. You could easily spend hours here.

Best for: Architectural salvage, furniture, art, old materials, accessories and truly one-of-a-kind finds.

Bonus: It's across the street from Morning Social, one of my favorite Brevard brunch spots. Coffee + brunch + salvage hunting is a very good way to start a day.

MANtiques

The name is fairly accurate, and it definitely leans masculine, but that's also what makes it such a fun stop.

There are vintage objects, furniture, art, collectibles and all sorts of unexpected things spread throughout the shop. Prices can be on the higher side, but even if you don't buy anything, it's an adventure. This is also the antique stop where the boys and husbands who usually ask “How many more stores?” may suddenly become very interested in shopping.

Best for: Masculine vintage, collectibles, conversation pieces, unusual art and gifts.

Country Creations Antique Mall

And finally: do not sleep on Country Creations Antique Mall. This is another booth-style venue, and the owners are wonderful. There are some legitimately great finds tucked throughout the space if you're willing to look. I found a dresser that had been restored so perfectly, along with a few other fun pieces.

This is exactly why I love these multi-vendor antique malls. You aren't shopping one person's aesthetic. You're moving through dozens of different collections, personalities and eras, and every booth gives you another chance to find something completely unexpected.

Best for: Furniture, restored pieces, accessories, collectibles and affordable surprises.

Why We Always Make Room for the Weird Stuff

When we're designing a home at R. Nickson Interiors, we're not trying to create a space that looks like it was purchased in one afternoon. A beautiful home needs layers.

It needs the new piece you saved for, the piece you inherited, the artwork you fell in love with on vacation, the strange little object your kids will someday remember sitting on the bookshelf, and the vintage dresser you found while wandering through North Carolina with your friends.

Those pieces don't necessarily have to be expensive. They don't even have to make sense to anyone else. They just need to mean something to you.

Buy the art. Bring home the oddity. Ask the story. Dig through the booth. Support the maker. And when you travel, leave a little room in the car. Because a home that tells your story is always going to be more interesting than one that simply follows the rules.