Antiquing in La Crosse - Don't Do It!!!

Four days off for turkey day and I decided to spend one day driving up to La Crosse Wisconsin to check out two antique shops. This was a 2 1/2 drive both ways. All I can say is what a complete and utter waste of my time and gas. Only antique in La Crosse if you are there already - don't make any special trips. I was very disappointed as I had read a blog about how someone liked the Antique Mall in downtown La Crosse. Okay, it was three stories - but three stories and the same old crap I see at every single antique mall. Again, don't these people visit other malls. I know, perhaps I am the only crazy Wisconsinite that goes antique malling but come on - wow me, give me something new. As you all know, I love old paper - I drool over it and an giddy with glee when I find it. In La Crosse there is nothing - it is a barren wasteland for ephemera collectors. I was so desperate that in the second shop I visited I went downstairs without my glasses on and thought in the corner I saw what looked like old paper. Alas, it was only a board - yes, I know, I should always where my glasses! I felt like the shop owners should have paid me for browsing. On my way back I decided to go to the Tomah Antique Mall - I know there is a both of paper with trade cards, and at least I can look at it again.

As I was checking out have buying some neat McLaughlin XXXX Coffee small trade cards - pictured here. I was talking to a worker and telling him how crappy La Crosse was when he asked me if I had ever been to the Antique Emporium in Eau Claire. I said, no. He said the third floor is all paper. I gasped and shrieked - Why did I waste my time in La Crosse!!!!!

Next weekend folks its Eau Claire or bust - this is a three hour drive. Any one out there that has been to his antique mall and can reassure me that there is paper I would be much obliged.

Appleton, WI - Fox River Antiques

About two months ago I ventured to Appleton, Wisconsin on a Saturday. Never attempt this on a Green Bay Packer home game! Anyway, I visited the Fox Rover Antiques mall and was pleasantly surprised. I saw pleasantly surprised, because rarely now when I go to antique malls am I happy with the trip. Now that gas prices have dropped, I am more lenient, but when the word "antique" is in your name, I want to see antiques - not collectibles! Anyway, the mall is separated into two sides. To the right is a bunch of booths. A really nice booth was a rare book dealer. Lots of pretty books in glass cases that I could drool over. Word to the wise, just because it is in a glass case doesn’t mean it is valuable folks. I do find that people overlook the glass cases and I find some interesting ephemera showed in the corners or buried under items. Not sure if I ever mentioned one such find at the now closed Middleton Antiques Mall (the building is soon to house the Mustard Museum). This mall was right down the street from work and I would go in just about every week for a break from the frenzy of the law. I started look more closely into the glass cases. Upstairs in a case that was sort of tucked away down a hallway at the very bottom pushed up against the inside wall was a program for Grand Duke Alexis visit to Milwaukee back in the 1872. I was in a hurry to get back to work and the price tag said $28, so I passed it up and the next four days of busy work I could not stop thinking about it. I finally was able to spirit myself away from work and rushed over to the mall crossing my fingers the item was still there. I rushed upstairs to the case and my heart sank, I didn’t see it. Then I got on my hands and knees and sighed with relief when I saw it poking out from under a book! Yippee!! What I ended up getting was a menu for the banquet held and the invitation to the ball. I will post pictures tonight. I made a very hefty profit on ebay with this item.

Anyway, back to Appleton. Again, nice mall lots of really nice things. Still has a lot of collectibles, but has good balance with some other items. Recommend a stop over there if you are ever in that neck of the woods. I remember specifically two nice framed Hood's Sasparrilla Puzzles - several hundreds of dollars for each. There was some board games there - a few older Parker Brothers card games (talking Geo. Parker & Sons vintage - not the Pit, Rook etc that you see everywhere). Some ephemera, but not a lot.