“We wish to thank you, our customers and friends, for your loyal support over the last 15 years. We opened on October 2, 1982 with nine antique dealers. We have grown into a large two-warehouse complex of small shoppes, a cafe and antiques area totaling over 30,000 square feet. Our shopkeepers are on the premises to assist you seven days a week. We are very proud of the selection in both collectible and antique items, and it is with determination that we intend to maintain only the highest and most credible standards for our merchandise. Our numerous shoppes are set up to display the variety of antiques and collectibles, which include everything from primitive and country decorating to formal Victorian. Our specialty shoppes include Victorian, Amish, Country, Bears & Dolls, Children's Books, Floral (dried & silk), Art, Statuary, Sports Cards, Coca-Cola, Caning, Photograph Reproduction and Dept. 56. And don't miss the unique atmosphere of the Cafe where a light lunch will replenish your shopping spirit. Come and visit us at the Antique Warehouse. We appreciate your suggestions and comments” -From the introduction to The Antique Warehouse Cookbook published in celebration of the business’s 15th anniversary, October 2, 1997
(Third Photo Above): In the mid-twentieth century a popular antique show was held at the Saginaw Jewish Community Center.
When the Antique Warehouse opened in 1982, it was located in a former warehouse that had been constructed in 1947 for the National Biscuit Company, it brought together local Antique Dealers under one roof. In its coverage of the opening, the Saginaw News reported: “Although the Warehouse just opened Oct. 2, its operators already are looking at the possibility of expanding it.” The Warehouse soon became a Saginaw fixture, expanding into an adjoining building.
The Antique Warehouse is built on a long history of collecting antiques in Saginaw. As early as the 1880s, Saginaw residents were deliberately choosing “old things” to decorate their homes. At one South Jefferson Avenue mansion, guests were greeted in the front hall by a clock made in London in the eighteenth century. A few years later, another local family filled their home with antique European furniture carefully collected by their architect.
The first listing that we can find for an antique shop in Saginaw is in the 1937 City Directory. However, advertising and stories suggest that as early as the 1920s brothers John and Bill Wickes sold antiques through their store, the Jarvis-Yawkey Shop. They were known to travel with customers on buying trips to purchase antiques. (The Castle Museum's collection includes items John and Bill Wickes donated to the fledgling “Saginaw Museum.”)
In 1951, Saginaw City Council determined that antique dealers weren’t required to hold a secondhand dealer’s license; however, council members were careful not to define exactly what constituted an antique. “Saginaw City Councilmen have decided there is a difference between an antique shop and a secondhand store but they aren’t prepared to make a legal distinction." The Saginaw News, April 24, 1951. The Antique Warehouse has built on this heritage.
In 2000, the Michigan Avenue location was acquired by a drugstore chain and the Antique Warehouse relocated to 1122 Tittabawassee Road.
(Above): 1920 Advertisement for the Jarvis Yawkey Shop
(Above): For many years, each September Mary Magrath, who operated an antique shop on North Webster, would exhibit a “general store” at the Saginaw County Fair.
The Recipe: Kahlua Fruit Dip
By: Barry Rindhage from The Antique Warehouse Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 pt. sour cream
5 Tbsp. Kahlua liqueur*
5 Tbsp. brown sugar
Combine ingredients. Chill for 30 minutes.
*Can substitute Grand Marnier for Kahlua.
Great for dipping fresh fruit: Strawberries, pineapple, bananas, apples, etc.
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