Tag Archives: Mathieson-soda-saltville

Treasure Hunting in Gate City, Virginia

Hi there!   It has been such a busy time around here as we prepare for the first days of Adventure Mendota 2016.    Mike and I have also been on the fundraising merry-go-round for the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Crossroads Christian Academy and the Washington County Public Library.   We’ve  bid in three silent auctions in less than 8 days.  I’ve ended up with a few dinners out, several tickets to the Barter, and a pretty wall piece.  We’re now broke.

Last night, however, we got into a bidding fever over these…apple crates from Chilhowie.

Crates from Gala

Mike bid….are you ready…$185 for these crates.   We want to use them to hold Adventure Mendota’s t-shirts.  We’re rural…they’re rural…it’s  a match.   If you are still reeling from the $185, the real shocker is that we didn’t win the bid.  They went for $200.     Mike was bummed, but I was secretly relieved.  Whew!   Close call!

However, as we went out to deliver Adventure Mendota rack cards today, I suggested that we stop in a few antique stores in Gate City to see if they were aware where we could find some similar crates.    We stopped in the old Hackey Furniture and Appliance Store.    I don’t know what it looked like “in the day” but here’s what it looks like today, and it is the home of Memory Lane Antique Mall.  Very, very nice folks.

Hackney Furniture Store

So, I went in…

Interior of Store

I left a pool of drool when I saw this.  It’s sold, and I’m kind of relieved.    It’s hard to explain to Mike why I want something chippy and blue and wonderful.   He does not get it.   Sorry for the blurry picture.  I took this with my iphone.

Blue Chest

This is all about hunting crates, but there is one more thing I want to show you.  This light fixture was $199.  I’m going to look at similar new ones and compare prices.    When I redo my dining room, I’m replacing the light fixture and this one would look very good.   They were asking $199.  I’m sure I could get it a little cheaper.   $150??

Light Fixture

But the real story here is the crates.   I cannot see things in stores like this.  Something in the way my mind is wired does not let me find that “needle in a haystack.”  If there is a lot of distraction going on, I am…well…distracted.  So I walked all the way through and started to leave and then I asked the salesperson if they had any old fruit crates with markings.

Here’s all the ones I passed walking through the store.   I’m so glad I asked.   This was just the start.  We bought 7.

Crate Crazy

Here’s a few of my favorites…starting with my #1 favorite..it’s from Saltville.  This box has so much history.  It’s really about the rise and fall of an industry and how it affected a town and the environment.     I’m honored to have it as a home for my t-shirts!

Soda Box

I’ve seen fake crates in stores.   I do not meant to sound snobby, but really…why get fake when the real think actually tells a story?   I’d rather do without than have a crate that doesn’t know how to speak!!!    My crates speak AP-PAH-LACH-UN!

Here’s another one…this is actually from California and doesn’t speak AP-PAH-LACH-UN very well, but I couldn’t resist it.    My XL tees will go in this one.

Mendota Melons

And finally…this little Canada Dry sings to me as well.    I think it’s singing “I want tank tops!”

Canada Dry

Yes, those are my feet.

New topic.   Guess how much the Adventure Mendota Basket went for at the WCPL A Tisket A Tasket Fundraiser…$120.  I’m thrilled!  Each basket is around a book.  My book was “A Day on the River” and if you can believe it, the little girl’s name in the book is….Eva!

Adventure Mendota Basket

Thank you for reading RiverCliff Cottage.  XOXO

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