My mom and I finally went to check out the Bayard Antique Village last week. While we only recently became aware of it, the location itself has existed since 1949.
US 1 was the main North/South travel road of the area. The formerly named Beautyrest Cabins provided a nice place to stay while en route. They were a popular honeymoon spot.
After I-95 was built, the location wasn’t nearly as popular and was converted to an auction site in 1967. It was at this time that the large central barn was built on the premises.
The cabins on the perimeter were later converted to independent shops, forming what is now the antique village.
No doubt the place is cute, and all the shop owners are beyond nice. Whether I should admit it or not, my favorite part was the variety of cats, kindly cared for by the shop owners. It was a bit of a hunt to find and photograph as many cats possible. The black cat you’ll see pictured below was not happy he wasn’t getting his wet food 2 hours ahead of schedule.
Perusing the shops and barn, you’ll find hand made paintings, jewelry, soap, lotion, and chalk paint, hand painted furniture, Christmas goods, books, Skylanders and other plastic toys, Beanie Babies, Breyer horses, Schleich figures, and a variety of other collectible, decorative and vintage pieces. I of course imagine as well that these items are regularly circulated, with always something new to find.
Click on an image to see it larger and in a carousel view.
What antiques have you gone hunting for lately?
Bayard Antique Villages – 12561 Philips Highway, Jacksonville, FL 32256
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