Confessions Of An Antiques Store Worker: There's No Place Like Florence, Colorado

True story. Oh, wait that's the name of this blog. But true story. I was in Pueblo this weekend, browsing in the antiques district on Union.

Wait, before you call me a traitor to Florence the antiques capital of Colorado--where I live and work--let me explain.

This is only the second time  I've been to the antiques district in Pueblo in my entire life. The last time, I only had time to visit one store--and this time, browsed three of them. I was suitably impressed and even bought a few things. But deep in my heart, I was thinking I liked Florence, and not just because I work there and know a few antiques dealers.

I had a $5 vintage nut chopper in my mitts and was in the basement section of one of the antiques malls in Pueblo and getting ready to go upstairs and checkout, when I heard a voice.

"Ma'am? Are there any other places in southern Colorado like this?"

I turned around to see a middle-aged man with a sincere face. "I just love antiques and historical buildings. Are there more places like this? I am new to the area."

I was just ready to open my mouth and say," Well, let me tell you about this little town about 30 miles up the road called Florence."

But he continued," I know about Florence. I was just there. And wow--that town is, well... Just filled with historic buildings and antiques."

"Hmm," I replied," I just happen to live there and work in an antiques mall there. You do know Florence is the antiques capital of Colorado?"

He did not know that. But what he told me was the he had just relocated to Pueblo a few months ago from Washington State, where is HIS opinion there was no culture. At least in the section of the state he came from. He was wowed, delighted and enchanted by Pueblo's district and the beauty and uniqueness of Florence.

He said of Florence," Why it's so amazing. I've never seen so many antiques stores. You can stroll there and then just walk a few feet and be eating at Quincy's."

For those who don't know--Quincy's is a semi-new addition to Florence's Main St. It is almost always packed--and that is no wonder. The food is great and the prices are fantastic. And it's located in a historic building and decorated to warm the hearts of anyone who loves history and antiques.

This recent Pueblo transplant almost felt like he had dropped into an alternate universe filled with culture, historic buildings, beauty and antiques everywhere. He was eager to explore southern Colorado further.

I told him that Walsenburg was a fairly good bet with an antiques mall and few good funky shops and historic buildings. But I told him he already had really hit the goldmine with Pueblo's antiques district and discovering Florence. He agreed. He walked off thanking me profusely and with rather with a dazed and happy look on his face.

I guess us locals are rather used to all the culture and history and beauty in southern Colorado. It was fascinating to run into a stranger and newcomer who reminded me just how special southern Colorado is.

Politically Incorrect Antique or Collectible: BABY RUTH

In the days of un-supersizing, banning huge sugary soft drinks, cleaning up school lunch menus and making sugar the white devil--I have my favorite (to date) politically incorrect antique.

I love this tin Baby Ruth holder. OK, I love Baby Ruths and have been known to slam a few down my cakehole now and then.

I'm still in tears (and sugar shock) that I was not from the generation where I could get my sugar high for a nickle.

But what makes me laugh--after I pick out the delicious chewy caramel and CRISP nuts out of my teeth--are the mixed messages here.

After lunch, it's a tasty dessert. BUT: Two make a complete lunch. Well, of course two would make a complete lunch, because it's balanced food!

Now, I know the true secret of America's rise as a leading industrial nation. Now I know how all those skyscrapers got built. It was that complete lunch that everyone thought was balanced food and wonderful energy.

Darn, you science and nutrition experts! I want to return to the days where I could eat two Baby Ruths for lunch and then go for the mixed message of having one after lunch for a tasty dessert--which in actuality would allow me THREE Baby Ruths for my lunch.

Politically Incorrect Antiques: Who Says Antiques Can't Be Funny & Fun?

Who says antiques can't be fun and funny? You won't hear that from me.

I am NOT an antiques expert--but I like to play one on the internet. Actually I spent about 15 years selling antiques, collectibles and plain junk on the internet, so I never got to meet any of my customers in person.

So, when we moved to Florence--the antiques capital of Colorado, I began working in some of the antiques stores. And antiques dealers are a humorous lot--which I never realized.

We sit around laughing and joking about our antiques, other people's antiques and the paradox that is attempting to know what people want to buy. The day one decides that a pile of stuff that has been sitting on one's booth is sheer junk, a mistake, a lapse in judgement and needs to be carted off--is usually the day someone comes in and falls in love with it and buys it all.

And usually when you've found a piece that you think is so fine, so exquisite and magnificent--is the day you overhear someone chuckling that it is weird.

But here's what you often find antiques dealers chuckling over the most--politically incorrect antiques. I personally chuckle the most over clown collectibles and antiques and have made outrageous fun of those oddities in previous blog posts.

So, in honor of having fun in the antiques trade, occasionally I'll highlight a politically incorrect antique or collectible. Just to be clear--some of these antiques or collectibles, I'd have in my own home. I'm not making fun of the dealers or the items necessarily--just how times have changed with modern science and knowledge and how some items are hopelessly hysterical and amusing when viewed through the lens of modern times.(I have to say that because I don't want to be politically incorrect and offend anyone).  And it's most often customers that will come in and laughingly comment on what fun it is.

So, what antique or collectible cracks you up the most?

Sunset In Florence, The Antiques Capital Of Colorado

How did the sun set in your neck of the woods? This how it set in Florence, the antiques capital of Colorado.

It painted the sky in layers. And it was the perfect end to a balmy spring evening. Wait, it's still winter in Colorado!

I don't tell many people this--but we live in the Banana Belt of Colorado. It was in the 60s today and is still balmy out.

This is our secret, but often when it snowing inches down the road about 32 miles in Colorado Springs, we might have a stray flake or nothing. Since we moved here, our snow shovel has seen little use.

New Pizza Place In Florence, CO

It's a tough job--but somebody has to do it. Eating my way across Colorado, this time landed me at a new pizza place in Florence--the antiques capital of Colorado.

If Florence isn't careful, the town will have to change its moniker to: the antiques and culinary capital of Colorado. For a small town, Florence is racking up some impressive selections of food.

Papa's is located at 132 W. Main St. in the building that used to house the popular Main St. Grille.

Papa's will open its main dining room in about a month, but late last week opened a walk-up window where one can order a whole pizza pie or just a slice.

Currently the offerings include pizza, ice cream, ice cream floats and soda, but the menu will be expanding soon.

Service at the walk-up window is quick and friendly. We received our steaming hot pie in under 15 minutes and as a bonus, we got a free dessert, created by the Itty Bitty Bakery right across the street. Nice touch!

Papa's walk-up window is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The phone number is 719-784-7888.

How To Season Cast Iron

As most know, Florence is the antiques capital of Colorado. And among the many dealers, from all around the state and beyond, are people with lots of knowledge about antiques, collectibles and doing things old school.

One of the new dealers at The Iron Gate Antiques Mall (109 W. Main St.) has a sign posted in their booth about seasoning cast iron. I, as many of the customers and browsers, found this dealer's method of seasoning cast iron, quite comprehensive. I was given permission to post his method on this blog.

* Cast iron is placed in a preheated oven at 200 degrees F and allowed to warm up.
* Once cast iron is at 200 degrees F, a coating of Pam (spray canola oil) is applied to all surfaces of cast iron.
*Cast iron is placed back into over and temp raised to 250 degrees F. Once temperature has been reached, timer is set to 15 minutes.
* After 15 minutes, cast iron is removed, "wiped down," placed back into oven and the temperature raised 50 degrees. This step is to make sure seasoning doesn't pool or run.
*The process is repeated at 300 and 350 degrees. 350 degrees is the final "wipe down."
*Cast iron is continued to be gradually heated up to 500 degrees. At 500 degrees, the cast iron has the last 15 minutes of heat applied. After the time has ended, the oven is shut off and the cast iron is kept in the oven and allowed to cool down to room temperature.

I recently have virtually switched to cooking exclusively with cast iron. No more peeling non-stick surfaces!

Cast iron has been enjoying another surge in popularity. I've had customers share that they enjoy the potential benefits and durability of cast iron cooking.

Florence has a good selection of cast iron in most of its 20 plus antiques stores.

And that's what I learned in an antiques store today!

Everything I Learned, I Learned In An Antiques Store

Everything I learned, I learned in an antiques store. Not totally. I learned plenty of other things in other places I worked. But I’ve learned much working in an antiques store. Not only do the browsers and customers teach and share volumes—the actual antiques in the store tell their own stories too.

One story the antiques tell and teach is that the more time goes by—things stay pretty much the same. There is truly nothing much new under the sun.

We know that the generation that fought in WW II is considered the greatest generation—and what we are going through today in can’t compare totally to what that generation went through. But today I stumbled across an ad in a 1943 magazine that spoke to me, and taught me, that wars, battles, 

conflicts and politics change—but  basic human nature and deep feelings of most Americans, change only minimally.

The ad sponsored by Nash-Kelvinator—yes, the folks that made cars and refrigerators—might be a bit sentimental for today’s tastes. A bit dramatic. But I read between the lines and found the emotions in this ad to be timely.

The ad shows a gaunt American soldier, a prisoner of war in Japan. He is behind barbed wire and is clutching a letter from home as an armed guard looks on.

The American’s response to his letter from home is: “Reading behind the lines of your blessed letter, I feel again the warmth of your love, and your unshaken belief in our future together. Just to know there is still in the world such faith as yours is enough to keep me sane…”

The American soldier writes of his hopes that, as he and his other fellow captives look to the sky, that the Americans will deliver them from evil and bring them home again.

He goes on to write, “Home—where I want unchanged, just as I remember them now, all the things that I hold dear. The right of a man to think and speak his thoughts, the right of a man to live and worship as he wants, the right of a man to work and earn a just reward! Don’t ever let these be lost. Keep everything just as it is until I come back...back to American where no armed guard bars the door to liberty…where there will never be a barbed wire fence between a man and his opportunity to work and build and grow and make his life worth living—this war worth winning!”

Yes, going back over 70 years, or 300 years ago—even though our conflicts and wars have changed—the reasons why we fight (even on the home front) and in our hearts and minds, does not change. And what America was hundreds of years ago—and even decades ago, should not change because other outside forces want us to change.

And that’s what I learned in the antiques store today.