On a recent late summer morning, I decided the best way to find time to finish an audio book was to make the hour-long trek from St. Louis to Ste. Genevieve Antique Mall in Ste. Genevieve, Mo.. It was only my second visit, the first one being over a year ago, and I looked forward to exploring its wares.

Ste. Genevieve is a quaint town known for being the state’s oldest settlement. In case you decide to daytrip it, visitors can enjoy roaming a small historic downtown with boutique shops and a smattering of restaurants. For added incentive, festivals are held throughout the year celebrating the area’s French colonial roots, Mardi Gras, honey + bees, and more. I focused solely on antiquing.

The mall, which is open 7 days a week (and kudos for that because malls that are not are so annoying!), is housed in an old factory building and boasts more than 175 vendors and a good variety of merch, from smalls to furniture. As usual, I was on the hunt mostly for vintage Christmas, old books, lovely mirrors, fab turquoise and/or sterling jewelry, and whatever else is suddenly and unexpectedly interesting. From that list, only a heavy box of books came home with me, but it’s all about the journey, yes?

Such a Friendly Place!

With neat rows of booths in two main sections of the shop, it’s hard to get too lost in the mall, although it is big enough to be worth that hour drive. At the end of each aisle, tables are lined up along the outer walls. They’re for sale and a little sign indicates they double as a repository for items you may have changed your mind about while browsing. Cool! It’s so hard to remember where exactly that once-riveting-now-questionable piece came from.

Some other cute little signs made me “lol” (small caps — heh), and I decided it could be a thing in this mall. One read … “This ain’t no museum, this junks for sale!” (An oldie but goodie.) Another, positioned near small-old-gold-round-vintage frames (my fave kind), informed pickers that “Old photos have stories to tell.” I smiled … the women featured in the photos no doubt could have shared a fascinating tale or 29. A sign near some chairs invited tired folks to rest awhile and enjoy the music (which must have been decent because I don’t recall cringing at moldy tunes.) Friendly place!

Books, Toys, and Existential Questions About Old Globes

In general, old books are getting too pricey, geez. Still, I sell about 50 a month. (I’m rather proud of that because it means they must be priced at a decent margin, right?) So I was delighted to find an entire set of books marked at a reasonable price, along with some affordable loose books here and there. I also leafed through some adorable wee books for kids that I ultimately left for someone else to buy, but I appreciated their sweetness.

In one booth I came across cute 50s — 60s-era toys, and I paused to admire them. At the time, it struck me that it had been quite a while since I’d last come across a collection of charming vintage toys out in the wild. A pleasant little scene … they were stuffed into a cozy green cupboard. But not my current jam (oh, trust me, it once was!), so kept moving.

Wandered into a vendor space that specializes in old world globes, a vintage item I love but also wonder about — are they getting trite? They don’t stay long in my booth if they’re priced right, but I resist globes because I see them a lot. (Ah, but those small tin banks are so cute!). This vendor probably has the right idea — double down on quantity and offer a solid collection from which to choose.

I like salvage pieces, but due to size considerations, I don’t often buy them. One booth was stacked with nifty wooden trunks and tool boxes and street signs. Fun to imagine the possibilities! Left them behind.

Also enjoyed a highly curated booth by Ivy & Twigs. (How did I know that? Because they have a prominent sign announcing their space! I couldn’t find a link to any social media, however.) Tailored vignettes are a balm to the eye after browsing merchandise that’s tucked or maybe jammed into a booth without any real nod to order and aesthetic. (Although there are li’l bright spots here and there, like a cheerful blue & white tea cannister hanging out with old white linens that caught my eye in another booth. And I’m not really complaining … jumbled goods are usually fun to dig through!) But this particular booth featured a calming collection of chippy, romantic, and nature-inspired goods at just the right turn of the bend.

These Cannisters Were 50% Off. I Walked Away.

Always, I leave things behind that I agonize over for days. This time, it was a set of ceramic cannisters with a curious oval shape and serious art deco vibes — and they were 50 percent off! I need another cannister set like I need another putz Christmas house. I HAVE PLENTY! That was my mantra while backing away.

Also, left a quilt that I know pal Sarah would have picked up — a darling friendship quilt — and a box of yellow wooden letters, letters and lettered blocks of any kind being something I collected with a fever back in the day.

While the sprint to and from Ste. Genevieve was worth it, I felt badly about ignoring the rest of the historic town. Next time my car heads in that direction in search of vintage goodness, I’ll bring a friend, enjoy a local lunch, and make a day of it.