First Place:
RVA Antiques (Hall of Fame Winner)
6102 Lakeside Ave.
716-4388
rvaantiquesandhomedecor.com
Second Place: Sixty West Vintage
Third Place: West End Antiques Mall (Hall of Fame Winner)
Honorable Mention: Class and Trash
When owners Dean Lewis and Larry Hardy opened first place winner and Hall of Famer RVA Antiques, their goal was to shift the perception of an antique store. Some people hear the word antiques and their mind registers images from dusty, moldy and cluttered to unattainable and expensive. None of these adjectives describes RVA Antiques.
“We strive to have a fun atmosphere with great music welcoming everyone, while giving excellent customer service,” Lewis says. “We want our customers to be able to relax and escape from the daily grind.”
For those who haven’t had the pleasure of stopping by yet, RVA Antiques took first place in part because of the wide variety of objects it offers. Vendors curate all styles of antiques from farmhouse, French country and rustic to traditional and art deco, with stops along the way for midcentury modern, boho and hard- to-find antiques. The store has grown its customer base by expanding a strong social media footprint, which includes a loyal Instagram following of over 18,000 as well as 23,000 Facebook followers. Not surprisingly, word of mouth is a major factor.
For Lewis and Hardy, owning Richmond’s favorite antique emporium is all about getting to know their customers and helping them acquire beautiful items for their home.
“We’re on a first-name basis with many of our customers and that’s always been important to us,” Hardy explains. “We make it a goal to try to welcome and speak to every customer who makes our business possible.”