Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Antique buyers fazing out

Went on a buying trip to Texas. One store owner said I was a dying breed since I buy only antiques and he had antiques and new items in his shop. Said that is only way his business can survive, can't make it on antiques only.He said the younger generation is not intersted in antiques like older is. I have heard this before. I hate to think that the signs and items could drop in value as more younger generation buyers. Especially what I have paid on gas oil signs in past. Anyone know if this is the trend?

In my area, the only antique shops that have survived anymore, do most all of their business on ebay!

i believe so, at least by looking at the car market. i think many, us included, collect items we relate to in our past. the antique car market for 30's-40's cars is showing a loss of interest because many who wanted one to "relive their past" are getting older & out of the hobby. the market now is muscle cars & 50's-60's cars. why, a younger generation who drove them in their youth. i think the same goes for anything collectible, so based on time, things phase out. the economy doesn't help any either. sales on "wants" vs. "needs" is down.

I'm only 26 but I'm into the older stuff. My fiancée and I are currently redoing our house and it's all vintage stuff. Our living room is all vintage advertising. We have 12 antique cars 1934-1954 and 2 antique boats a 1936 GarWood and a 1949 Chris Craft sedan. We have several builds full of antiques. I wouldn't say its a dying trend. There's a group of us that all we do every weekend is go to antique shops and look for stuff.

One of the largest antique "malls" around here closed up earlier this year. Makes you wonder.

It costs a great deal to have a brick and mortar store. Look at the major chains are even closing down stores. I have noticed antique shows in the last few years are getting smaller in our area. Costs to drive and set up, eat and motel, etc.... As much as I like to hold the item before I buy it, things like ebay are so much easier. (Not without their problems though)

I would say it depends on what genres of antiques you are talking about. Victorian antiques died off in popularity in the early 1990's. The furniture, glassware, etc. from the turn of the century and before is worth no where close to what it was then. It just doesn't appeal to the younger generation. I think it's more a change of decorating trends and tastes over the years that has caused the true antique buyers market to shrink.
I am 35 years old. My friends and I like mid-century modern items and quite a few of my friends collect it. We did not grow up in that era, but I prefer my Herman Miller Eames rocking chair in my home over an 1890's pressback rocker. People who grew up in the 40's and 50's can't stand the furniture their parents had now, but like what their grandparents had. It almost seems like what appeals to a the younger generation is the stuff from a generation or two previous. I grew up in a 1970's and early 80's decorated house, brown, gold, avacado galore! I can't stand the style of that era, but young kids now think it's cool and they are buying it.
I believe the biggest thing affecting prices now is the economy. I think we also need to keep in mind that more kids are growing up in poorer, deprived households. If it's a want and not a need, then you don't have to have it. This is being ingrained into them, as well as a less is more creed when it comes to living and the environment. It helps paint a somewhat dismal picture of the future of the general antiques and collectibles market. It's been said a million times on here, but if you buy things for the love of collecting them and preserving them then we will never lose sleep over the future values of these items.
Sorry to ramble....I just have a lot of different thoughts on this subject and could go on and on.
Darin

Another thing to think about on this subject. How many times have you been in an antique store and found a couple things you would like to buy.... but they are about three times overpriced.

I went back to a antique shopping center I go to about 2 times a year and the last couple of times I have seen the antiques start to go away and there tends to be more garage sale material showing up in the stores.There were 8 large shops there now they are down to 3.

I have a few observations. One is that I have always "dickered" with an antiques dealer because they always have a huge mark up. If I dont make a deal, I leave my number with them and after the item has sat too long, I frequently get a call back saying they will take what I offered. These guys are still in business. The ones I have seen go out of business have ridiculously high prices, take items on consignment and they dont dicker. The people consigning the item have little to lose if it sits in the store for years and they are less likely to budge on their price.
The other thing is if you are exposed to antiques when young, you tend to appreciate them. My parents home was always furnished with antiques, and I love antiques, as do my kids. Friends whose parents went for modern tend to love modern. Thats life.
John

Young generation has little to no interest in antiques. Most Local stores are overpriced by 50-100 percent due to operating costs. Many people have less disposable income. Antiques are not a necessity. If you look at gas items as an investment your in the wrong hobby....this hobby is as risky as putting your money in the Netflix stock. In the past few years local towns have lost their total antique district. eBay has killed the retail store antique market. Antique stores in my opinion are a dying breed. I like to buy local and support local but most of the local stores have very few of the unique items I like to buy. The main problem is lack of finance to buy these items. Jm2c

After visiting several Antique shoppes recently in Upstate NY, Mass and Conn., I can see why they are either closing or not selling anything....

....They're prices are way too high Vs. Condition.

Antique Business is doing fantastic in my area ,resale is doing even better,and estate sale's are as nutty as can be with traffic!You know ,my thought's are this when it come's to all of the T.V "antique road show,pickers,pawn stars,a.restoration so on & so on, even though our opinions vary on that topic i personally think that these show's have helped the antique business/resale & collecting hobby in general,more so with resale & antiques.These days it seems as if the younger folks are tied up watching snookie on jersey shore with a ipod in one hand & a cell phone in the other,and the only thing that's being collected is empty Jack Daniel bottles & condom's!I cringe at the thought of my kid's generation & how fast pace ,on edge ,& ignorant that things seem at times & t.v promotes this garbage all day long! The simple thing's in life like ........taking kid's to get a ice cream cone,fishing,camping,raising animals,farming,car shows,collecting,"school" have fallen by the way side & are considered to be boring & old fashioned! Anyways I'm curious now.......so how is the antique business doing else where?

I'm 17 and when i lived in Ohio i frequented the local antique stores because there were a lot of signs and oil cans. Some at reasonable prices some well above retail but here in FL i have found it very hard to find any signs at antique stores at all and the ones they have are either newer or extremely over priced. It also has to do with younger people not being interested in antiques. I've only met a few guys my age with the same interest. When i have freinds over i like to show them my gas&oil collection and bicycle collection and they all think its really cool but the chances of them starting to buy is unlikely. Mainly due to the fact they would rather spend their money on video games and other electronics.

I agree. My mom has a house full of antiques and my girls think they are cool. On November 5th, there is an Antique Show coming up. My two girls (age 10 and 17) can't wait to go. Their 16 year old cousin also loves antiques. So, I wouldn't say that the whole "younger generation" will turn their backs on antiques. It's just that, sometimes, you don't really appreciate the "old stuff" until you, yourself, get older.

Michelle