Downtown Ventura: A Haven for Antique Lovers
By Vincent Scott
When true antique afficionados, folks who can tell a genuine Chippendale sideboard from a knockoff at 100 paces, talk about their shopping meccas, many names come up. New England. Rural North Carolina. The small towns of the Deep South. But for true antique lovers, one place is passed along as a well-kept secret: the mission city of Ventura, California.
An Antique-Filled Downtown
What makes this quaint seaside city of 100,000, halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, such a mecca for lovers of well-aged furniture, pottery, glassware and knicknacks? It's that within the 18 square blocks of Ventura's historic Downtown Cultural District, you'll find more than 40 splendid antique dealers, specializing in everything from vintage Hawaiian shirts to Japanese rice paper paintings.
Having everything within such easy walking distance, all set in a beautifully preserved downtown with plenty of free parking, dozens of wonderful restaurants, and a refreshing absence of chain stores, draws antique fiends to Ventura from all over the world. Because this 200-plus-year-old surf town tends to be overlooked by most tourists, prices are lower than in some of the country's tonier antique districts. But the selection, quality and variety rate this area among the finest antique spots in the world.
Highlights
It's hard to choose just a few among the many splendid emporia of the old that line Main, California, Oak, Santa Clara and Thompson streets, but here are a few that stand out:
- Portobello Antiques occupies the ground floor of the historic Erle Stanley Gardner Building, a gorgeous historic edifice named for the creator of Perry Mason, perhaps Ventura's most famous native son. Portobello carries some of the finest Italian and Victorian furniture to be found anywere in Southern California.
- Heirlooms (805/652-0615; recently opened a new shop at 418 E. Main Street) is the area's oldest antique store, opening its first location in 1983. It houses a wide selection of Italian, French, Victorian and Asian antiques at all its locations.
- Gold Lion Gallery is one of the region's best sources for Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Buddhist antiquities, furniture and artwork. Relax with a seat by the indoor Zen garden while you contemplate the collection.
- Nicholby Antique Mall (805/653-1195) is probably the only antique mall in California attached to an alternative nightclub. It's also a great antique mall displaying wares sourced by a huge range of dealers. You could easily spend hours going from booth to booth looking for that perfect find, then duck upstairs to Nicholby's Nightclub (where Big Bad Voodoo Daddy got their start) for a drink and some dancing.
Add Ventura's perfect weather, the beach three blocks away, and the character and funkiness of downtown, and this is a destination more antique shoppers should know about. But shhhh...it'll be our secret.