Like Dolly Parton or Helen Mirren, Round Top is dazzlingly well-preserved. But where did it all start? Where does the history of the hamlet begin?
Leave it to newcomer Townsend Provisions to inform us that before Round Top, TX was Round Top, TX it was Townsend, TX.
Yep, Townsend, as in Asa, Stephen, Spencer, John, J.T. William, Nathaniel and Samuel Townsend. An entire set of eight brothers born near the Great Pee Dee River in South Carolina, all of whom made their way to the rolling prairies of Central Texas. With so many fine upstanding Townsends in the area, I guess it just made good sense to go ahead and call the place Townsend.
So when/why/how did Townsend become Round Top? Well, a few years into Townsend’s township someone built the post office and gave it an “odd shaped tower.” The next thing you know the name was changed to Round Top. Seems like there’s bound to be more to the story than that (scandal, payoff, family feud, something…) but that’s the official version and so it’ll be The Crush List version too.
Take a look around Townsend Provisions, one of the latest and most definitely greatest shops in the wonderful place that once had an odd shaped post office tower that we now call Round Top.
Fun, right? Well, that’s just the front space. You’ll also want a peek at the vintage boot room. Especially if you don’t have a pair for antiques show shopping yet.
Quick clarification: For those of you who’ve hurt your ankle by stepping in a snake hole or miscalculating the distance between your bed and the floor or some other unfortunate incident, you may be familiar with a Townsend Boot. They don’t sell those here.
Round Top shoppers have to be careful. We see it all. Every single decor trend imaginable, past, present and future, over and over through the creative eyes and outrageous imaginations and merchandising skills of multiple dealers. It’ll warp you. And make you a little meh about what at the moment the rest of the world is quite thrilled by. Wasps nests? So three shows ago. Macrame? Really, you’re still there?
No one wants to be that guy.
So let’s cast aside our inner know-it-alls and celebrate with clear eyes and full hearts a bunch of the trends that popped up all over the show this fall by looking around the artful Marburger Farm booth of Two Vagabond Vintage. They’re a great example of the ‘next generation’ dealer, offering a perfectly perfect mix of goods in a fun, sophisticated space full of unexpected moments. I’ll call out a few trendy bits as we go, and you can hunt down a few more on your own.
First up, numbered items and repurposed industrial mirrors and wood discs and bedspring art and architectural pipe-type-things and tarnished silver and scales and feathers.
Next up? Funky old phones, well traveled luggage, cowry shell art, seed bags, cots, dress forms, floral frogs, rope, vintage 40’s florals and coconut husk thingies.
But before we go on, let’s take a moment to learn that Ford Motors’ Focus Electric car is made out of all kinds of recycled materials, and in fact, “Wheat straw, coconut husk, and other plant fiber-reinforced plastic are used for vehicle storage bins and interior door panels.” Who knew?
Cubbies, especially hand-labeled cubbies were so big this show. I could do a whole post with the photos I got from various booths. OK, maybe I will.
Ditto cotton stalks, which are apparently the latest in rustic country wedding bouquets. Nice! One of my classic favorites, chippy peely turquoise anything, is back in a big way (if it ever left), and one of my new favorites has got to be the well-worn dinged-up and doodle-etched school desk/work table.
Plaid!!! Sailboats. Not-your-everyday taxidermy. Burlap. Old books with good personality. And lots of fun ephemera. Which, as we knew it would cause that’s who we are, brings us right back around to cubbies and numbered things and feathers.
This spooky-fabulous historic feed mill offers antiques, real estate, location scouting, venue rentals, Costa Rican coffee & auctioneer services. You must need one of those.
Sometimes I travel the Round Top area for no purpose except to stumble upon something incredible. Kind of like the way I take a nap just to tap into my creative mind. Plus I like to drive around. And nap.
Aimless wandering is how I found the Old Feed Mill in Burton, TX, owned and managed as an antique shop, real estate office and filming location by the accomplished, highly informed and hospitable Roger Chambers.
The space stunned me (and my iPhone 6 camera) with its light, its volume, the preservation of its original purpose and its near perfect assortment of well-priced home-style antiques. Roger kindly explained all sorts of feed mill processes and engineering details as I poked around. I’m still savoring the image of a huge blower sending swirls of shucked oats streaming up a long ductwork pipe and outside into a vat of molasses.
No further words necessary. Enjoy the sweet feed of photos.
To complete my run of posts on the topic of ‘Which Field/Venue/Show is Best?’ I thought I’d try something new. We’re in the middle of the Fall 2015 Show (the Thursday before Marburger) and since I took the day just poking around wherever the minivan seemed to want to go, I thought a recap of my day would be a good way for me to share a bunch of fields with you. Some of these vendors and spaces will become official crushes later on, but for now I’m going to fly through a timeline with nothing more than tiny photo captions. Grab a bottle of water and hop in the passenger seat. We’re going to the Show, The Crush List style.
Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville: The Approach
Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville: I wish someone would hire me to name colors.
Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville: Or to name forest animals.
Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville: Camelpalooza
Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville: The card reads, “Have you seen my Honey Bear?”
Out the window: Right down the road from Haw Creek Cemetery
Next stop, Burton, TX: The Secret Town
Burton, TX: No it’s not too early for lunch.
Burton, TX: Meal deal!
Burton, TX: First in line.
Burton. TX: Map on the wall.
Burton, TX: What to do with the $2 change.
Burton, TX: Ta dah!
Downtown Burton: Get sidetracked by the thrift store in the old grain mill.
Burton: Can’t get enough of the story or the stuff.
Burton: Bought the brass sailboat ashtray but not the smirky man cup.
Fly across the street to Flown the Coop. Note that this is my third canoe today.
Flown the Coop: Chat with Tiffany and Carolyn while drinking in the space.
Flown the Coop: Day’s getting away from me!
Flown the Coop: So many moments here. I promise I’ll do a full crush post soon.
Yippy Skippy it’s La Bahia set up day and some of the booths are up already!
La Bahia Set Up: Could spend all day imagining cushion fabric for these.
La Bahia Set Up Day: And isn’t this lil pumpkin right on color trend?
La Bahia Set Up Day: Coming back on Opening Day tomorrow for the full effect.
One last quick stop! The Show in downtown Round Top. A truly fantastic field.
The Show: Love these Richard Rockford collage pieces.
The Show: And I’ll put a pair of lovebirds on it every time.
The Show: Whew! I think we’ve earned our afternoon nap. Going to rest a bit before meeting friends for wine at Prost! Thanks for coming with!
This is the second post of my Field Showcase Series in which I attempt to help you decide where when and how to shop the Show. Last week we were earlybirds in The Fields. Now it’s time to get started for real, and since we have to start somewhere we’ll start where my minivan seems to take me more often than not. Blue Hills.
We should try to arrive around 9:30am. Morning is golden time! There’s a damp chill in the air that will be long hot gone by noon. We’re dewy golden too; showered and bright-eyed (thanks to our travel mug of Folgers Half Caf and that cream cheese kolache) and ready to see every single thing there is to see!
Welcome to pretty Blue Hills Field. There’s so much to like about this spot. It’s beautifully designed and tidy and a nice manageable size. It’s the perfect place meet up with a shopping buddy. And the parking’s free. There’s a nice clean potty paddock with plywood stalls back there. And look how many Crush List crushes are here! The Fall 2015 Show should be especially exciting at Blue Hills because some of the long time regulars have moved on to other fields so it’ll be fresh and full of new things to discover.
Quick aside while we’re on that subject: Hey, you old time hugely famous and popular and super loved fields. You know who you are. Here’s an idea of mine that may cause dealer riots, or a shoppers revolt, or at the very least a whole tornado of angst and drama but I’m going to suggest it anyway.
Move everyone around!
Yes, move ’em around! Put all your dealers’ names in a box and draw them out randomly and assign everyone a new spot. Yes, really. The pot could stand a little stirring. A little zest. A little creative zhuzh. Don’t worry, we’ll figure out where our favorites are and along the way we’ll give a new look to those booths we’ve learned to skip past/look over/pass by. Isn’t this an industry based on a love for redecorating? Redecorate!
OK, here we are. Back to what makes Blue Hills the center of my Show and why it might should be the center or at least the start of yours.
Looking for lighting? It’s one of the things Blue Hills does best. There are booths with industrial blown glass fixtures or custom pulley lights or one of a kind perfect-for-your-sunroom lamps or delicately reworked iron fixtures or a whole ceiling’s worth of vintage chandeliers. Buy your lighting at Blue Hills.
Are you at the Show because you’re right now at this minute furnishing with a purpose and need to find well-priced up to date pieces of both the old and new variety? Blue Hills is your place. There’s a booth just for painted furniture. A real good rug spot. Pascal’s super chic Four Hands style furniture. The maps and paper ephemera place. The booth with endless options for country chic duvets and pillows. That whole run of dealers along the back of the original field with country armoires and cabinets and dining tables. Adele’s fine art. The deckhouse full of Asian bits. All the good Euro in the new part. The dealer at the very end with fun classics like old wooden sleds…
You get the idea. This is high end merch that you want in your home, all pleasantly pulled together by professional real deal dealers. And while it may not sound right first thing in the morning, the Methodist Men’s chopped BBQ beef sandwich with chips and an iced tea is the iconic Antiques Show meal!
The good news? You've discovered The Crush List. The not so good? I haven't been actively posting here for a few years now, which means the never terribly reliable details about my crushes are even more unreliable. Antique vendors have switched venues, shops in town have moved or passed on, donkeys may or may not be in the same front yards... In spite of the risks of massive misdirection I've left the site up in hopes that it still achieves its goal - to inspire you to visit Round Top for the Antiques Show or any time you have the time.
With that said, I leave you to explore this random list of my very favorite things about my very favorite place. I’ve tried to capture the area’s special pieces and parts. Some are big deal, some are small gestures, some are legendary and some are just tiny pip and squeak.
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