17- Antique Shopping

I live in South Tampa, and this area is like most Tampa areas in that it is pretty old. What is unique about South Tampa, though, is that there is a lot of expensive real estate, especially along Bayshore Blvd, and deeper into the small neighborhoods within South Tampa there are old mansions that have been converted into condos and apartments. Pretty cool.

With the old-vibe here comes streets aligned with unique shops, restaurants, and boutiques. There is also a large health food market, similar to a Whole Foods, right across the street from my place. On Oct. 30th, Cherie and I walked over to the market to purchase some healthy snacks for the day. We were walking to restaurant called Pinky's for breakfast when we stumbled across some antique shops. Most of the shops were primarily full of furniture, but we found one right next to the restaurant that had some great accent pieces for the home. Cherie actually found some binoculars that she had been looking for to set one of her shelves. (Not like she needed to buy anything to squeeze into her carry-on with everything else)!

The thing I love about antique/vintage shops is the one-of-a-kind feel when you buy something. It's not like when you pick up a vase at Target, knowing that the other 50 vases just like it would be purchased by other people within the same day. If you have the time, get out and find some antique shops and support small businesses!