Our World: ‘If these walls could talk’

Photo by MANUEL MARTINEZ

Photo by Manuel Martinez

Each turn through the antique maze brings home a sense of the past, unearthing forgotten memories of a lost time. Fine china, antique Italian chandeliers, an old gas station Coca Cola sign — they all sit next to each other in utter chaos but yet in perfect harmony.

It tells a story, your story, the story of your grandparents and maybe even great grandparents. It’s difficult to not stumble upon something from your past, an old doll, a vase your grandmother had on her mantle. Or maybe it’s just a certain style from a period long since past.

It’s an altogether overwhelming experience, your eyes lose focus while your mind races to place each and every knickknack, collectible and antique into its proper place in history. This little gem is a one-of-a-kind antique store, called Treasure Island Antiques and it’s filled ceiling to floor with everything from 1970’s vintage furniture to ancient Chinese Jin Dynasty foo dogs, old Singer sewing machines and Bakelite jewelry. In its entirety, it’s a vast collection of human history, with objects whose origins span thousands of years. It reminds us of who we are and where we came from.

It’s owner Dottie Simpson who has been running the antique store for nearly 20 years. She is as significant to the personality of the store as the objects that you find inside. A walking catalog of history, with a passion for all things large, small, old, young and everything in between. The one thing you find out very quickly about the store is that the objects often come in second to the history that lies within them.

Simpson first started in antiquing with the purchase of a small antique store on Second Avenue called the Warehouse. She not only bought the building but all the antiques inside of it. What started out as a small store was quickly outgrown and in turn sent her down the road to owning a 12,000 square foot building on Central Avenue. At first, Simpson and her husband owned and ran the entire store by themselves. They soon realized that it was too much for two people, so they leased out the space to 39 dealers, each setting up smaller spaces within the larger store.

“Seventy percent of the dealers that were originally brought in are still here,” Simpson proudly confesses. “They’ve stayed with us that long, they’ve been loyal, we’ve been loyal to them.”

Every one of the 39 dealers has a wealth of knowledge about their items. Simpson says that “each dealer has their niche, their field of expertise, and then there are some that are a hodge podge. You can go from buying a mid century chair to a pair of Lily Capri’s. It’s kind of neat. I think there’s something for everyone.”

It’s easy to get lost looking at a room full of hand painted German ceramics and a moment later be entranced by a case full of mid-century jewelry.

“People always say if these walls could talk,” Simpson says and in some ways they do through each and every dealer, giving a voice to the store’s vast collection.

We’ve become accustomed as consumers to buy cheap, throwaway objects that last a few years and are quickly replaced. We have become great at recycling but we’ve lost our sense of well-crafted products and objects with a history.

For Simpson, she loves “everything old. It’s the greatest form of recycling. The old stuff last, it’s more quality than what’s made now. It’s not a throw away society in here.”

The store and its dealers have a quiet way of honoring the past by collecting the heirlooms of our history. They remind us that with a little care and love you might be able to share something you love with the next generation. Simpson says that on any given day, “You don’t know what’s going to walk in the door and what’s going to walk out of the door.”

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Connect with Manuel Martinez at www.naplesnews.com/staff/manuel-martinez/.