Antiques Shopping Mania in Putnam, Conn.!

Article and Photo by Eric H.

Antique shopping seems to never grow old at the Antiques Marketplace at 109 Main St. in Putnam, Conn.

Four floors of more than 350 booths showcasing over 50,000 pieces of antiques spanning three centuries make this Putnam landmark a truly fascinating shopping destination. It might be labeled as "retail," but browsing the store almost has a museum-like quality given the overwhelmingly amazing collection of historical items. Familiar and truly hard-to-find art pottery, jewelry, glassware, toys, coins, porcelain, lamps, paintings, picture frames, dishes, sterling, rugs, kitchen collectibles, furniture, and sports items almost require a full morning or afternoon of your time.

The Antiques Marketplace certainly stands of the heart and soul of Putnam antiques shopping, but this small northeastern Connecticut community also features many other antique stores, totalling a staggering 50,000 sq. ft. of merchandise! It's really a charming community, seemingly stuck in time, with nicely restored historical buildings (including the former Montgomery Ward site with the sign still intact), an inpressive network of downtown sidewalks for walking, and several nice locally-owned restaurants.

To find more information on Putnam -- including the Antiques Marketplace -- please click on the link above.