Antique Hunting In NY & NJ? Here’s What You Need To Know

March 23, 2022 Reading Time: 5 minutes
Home » Everything Storage
Maria Gatea
Written by
Maria Gatea

Antique shopping is fun, environmentally friendly and easy on your wallet – a veritable treasure hunt where you can find cool, quirky, one-of-a-kind items for your home. As far as antique shopping goes, it doesn’t get much better than New York and New Jersey. There are dozens of great antique shops in the area.

If you’re new to antique hunting and you don’t know where to start, we selected some of the best, most attractive antique stores in New York and New Jersey, based on the experience they provide:

1. Olde Good Things Antique Store NYC

With three locations in NYC, this antique store has so much more than your basic selection of furniture, vintage clothing and collectibles. You can find everything from salvaged architectural elements (doors, gates, fencing, mantels and so on) to lighting, furniture, antique mirrors, reclaimed glass and garden decorations. In other words, if you’re planning to add some old-school refinement to your home, this is the place to start looking.

2. Manhattan Arts & Antiques Center

From bonafide antiquities to antique furniture and decorations, you can find a wide variety of items at the Manhattan Arts & Antiques Center. Founded in 1974, it’s a veritable fine art and antique mall, with over 100 galleries. Whether your jam is the art deco period or you have a passion for Egyptian antiquities, here’s the place where you can find both and everything in between.

3. Antiques Center at The People’s Store

Located in the self-proclaimed antique capital of New Jersey, Lambertville, this space hosts 45 antique dealers but also working artist studios. Browse the extensive collection of American and European antiques, vintage industrial, mid-century modern pieces and much more. If you’re interested in commissioning art, visit the artists working right here at the People’s Store and choose unique pieces for your home.

4. The Antique Warehouse Hudson

This 40,000-square-foot antique and vintage shop, opened by Paul Dorman and John Frederick over 20 years ago, is an exciting place where you can find architectural elements like windows and doors as well as armoires, chests, bars, beds and so on. Also, if you’re unable to go there in person, you can shop online.

5. Historic Burlington Antiques

Established in 2001, Historic Burlington Antiques is in a historical building from the 1920s, one of the world’s first auto dealerships. The 15,000-square-foot space hosts about 65 antiquities and art dealers, selling everything from delicate decorations to furniture, books and jewelry.

6. The Yellow Garage Antiques

Fittingly located in the historic Mullica Hill village, this antique shop is in a bus terminal from the 1900s – hence the name. The 6,500-square-foot space is now home to 35 antique dealers, and most items sold here are from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.

7. Royal Port Antiques

This Salem, New Jersey, antiquities center is in a 1910s warehouse that provided storage space for crops. Some of the old equipment used to dry off and process crops is still there. Suzanne and Michael Cooke restored the space and opened the Royal Port Antiques in 2004. Since then, it attracts collectors and antique aficionados with many treasures, various shows and events.

8. John Koch Antiques

Located in the very heart of Manhattan, John Koch Antiques has been in business for over 30 years and is providing a wide selection of best quality furnishings and decorations. This is where famous TV shows and movies, including Mad Men and The Wolf of Wall Street, got the items they needed to furnish their sets. So, if you’re looking for glamorous and stylish items, this is the place to check out.

9. Days of Olde Antiques & Collectibles

You can literally spend days digging through the treasures hosted by the Days of Olde Antiques & Collectibles. The 21,000-square-foot space near the historic Smithville Village houses over 60 dealers. You can buy items ranging from artwork, books, coins, furniture, stained glass and fine china.

10. Haddon Heights Antiques Center

First opened in 1993, Haddon Heights Antiques Center is an 80-dealer co-op filled with amazing finds, including glassware, china, artwork, furniture and more. The antique center also organizes special, fun events – such as a scavenger hunt on the second Friday of each month.

Now that you know where to shop for antiques and collectibles in the New York City-New Jersey area, it’s also important to learn how to properly care for and store the items you buy.

Here’s how to take care of your antiques

Antiques are fragile – and, whether you are displaying them in your home or you’re a collector and are storing them long-term, there are some rules to follow:

1. Prevent damages during transportation.

Inspect antique furniture carefully before transportation, ensuring that it is stable enough to move. Remove drawers, loose shelves and other detachable parts. Use protective padding, such as bubble wrap or blankets, during transportation. Make sure you lift the furniture all the way off the ground when transporting it – dragging it will cause serious damages. Use dollies and straps when moving larger items. Antique wooden furniture is a lot heavier than modern furniture made from composite materials.

2. Clean and repair the antiques as needed.

Before displaying the antiques in your home or placing them in storage, it’s important to make sure they are in the best shape possible. Dust and polish your wooden furniture and clean upholstered and leather items with dedicated products. Wash glass or china pieces gently, using warm, soapy water. Other items such as paintings or old books are more difficult to clean, and you might consider using a professional restorer. Generally speaking, professionals should repair antiques and collectibles unless it’s something very basic or you have experience and know what you’re doing. A badly done repair job can drastically decrease the value of these items.

3. Pick the right spot to display your antiques and collectibles.

Whether furniture, rugs, artwork or books, antiques are better off kept away from direct sunlight and protected from excessive heat, cold and humidity. Make sure you find places in your home for the antiques that fulfill these conditions as much as possible.

4. Avoid touching your antiques.

Avoid touching antiques and collectibles as much as possible – oils on the skin and dirt can damage artwork, old books, painted china and more. If you own old and valuable pieces, wear cotton gloves when touching them. This also prevents slippage. You should also take some precautions with sturdier items, such as wooden furniture. It’s a good rule to not leave objects long-term on the varnished surfaces of old furniture. For example, if you have an antique dining table, it’s fine to set the table with plates and everything while dining – but don’t keep a vase permanently on it, as it will probably stain the surface.

5. Rent self storage for long-term storage of antiques and collectibles.

A climate-controlled self storage unit ensures the ideal environment for the long-term storage of delicate antiques: the temperature and humidity are constant throughout the year, and it will protect your items from sunlight. A 10’x10’ climate-controlled storage unit in New York City rents for around $230 per month. Or, if you’re a New Jersey resident, you pay a little less: the same type of storage unit in New Jersey rents for around $180 per month.

Have fun with your antique hunting!

Maria Gatea
Written by
Maria Gatea

Related posts

Small Apartment Storage Ideas: How to Maximize Space and Make It Feel Like Home

By Maria Gatea | May 15, 2026

Living in a small apartment doesn’t mean settling for cramped or chaotic. With the right systems in place, even limited square footage can feel organized, functional and surprisingly comfortable.

10 Small Bathroom Storage Ideas to Maximize Your Space

By STORAGECafé Staff | May 14, 2026

Your bathroom is one of the most frequently used areas in your home, which makes it especially prone to clutter. Toiletries build up quickly, towels multiply, and laundry bins can easily overwhelm the room, particularly in a compact layout. If you’re working with limited square footage, the right small bathroom ideas can help you stay organized without sacrificing style.

StorageCafe Now Has a Dedicated Car Storage Directory – Here’s Why That Matters

By Maria Gatea | May 13, 2026

If you’ve ever searched for car storage and ended up wading through listings for 5×5 climate-controlled units, you know the problem. Most storage search tools are built for boxes, not vehicles – and filtering your way to relevant results takes more effort than it should.

How To Find the Right Storage Unit Fast: A Look at StorageCafe’s Search Experience

By Maria Gatea | May 8, 2026

Whether you’re in the middle of a move, clearing out a garage, or just starting to shop around, finding the right storage unit doesn’t have to take long. StorageCafe’s search is built to take you from “I need storage near me” to a real decision – with filters, pricing, and direct contact options all in one place. Here’s how it works.

The 10 Largest Home Décor Brands in the U.S.

By Maria Gatea | May 6, 2026

Home décor is more than a shopping category in America — it’s part of how people shape their everyday lives. From small seasonal updates to full living room makeovers, Americans continue to invest in their homes, and the country’s biggest home décor brands have grown alongside that demand.

2026 Self Storage Supply Report: Florida Leads A Strong National Expansion

By Anca Lenta | May 5, 2026

Self storage development is stepping down from its boom-era highs and settling into a more deliberate rhythm. Roughly 55.4 million square feet of new space is expected to come online in 2026, closely mirroring 2025 and signaling a market that is no longer sprinting, but still far from standing still.

Interstate Moves Hit 10-Year Low As Affordability Bites: Which States Are Still Gaining Residents?

By Maria Gatea | May 4, 2026

America’s pandemic-era relocation boom is officially cooling. Interstate migration fell to its lowest level in a decade in 2024, with just 7.15 million Americans moving across state lines — more than 1 million fewer than at the 2022 peak. That’s roughly a 13% drop in just two years.

Second Acts With Roll-Up Doors: The Most Unexpected Self Storage Conversions In The U.S.

By Mirela Mohan | April 29, 2026

You probably don’t expect to stash your holiday decorations in a former armory. Or tuck away old photo albums where moviegoers once lined up for popcorn. But across the country, some of the most unexpected buildings are getting a second act — as self storage facilities.

Garden Tool Storage: 11 Simple Ideas To Get Organized

By Andrei Popa | April 23, 2026

Garden tools feel effortless to manage when everything has a clear place and a simple routine. These garden tool storage ideas focus on layouts and habits you can use in a shed, garage, or outdoor cabinet — and, when you need extra room, in a storage unit as a seasonal “overflow closet” — so you always know exactly where you can find each tool.