Statham, GA -- worth the drive

Statham, which is located east of Atlanta (just before you get to Athens), is becoming quite the antiquing destination as more and more shops continue to open up.

The cornerstones of this growth are "Factory Antiques" -- shown in these pictures,
and "Along The Line" antiques (closed the day I visited).

These two shops have been here the longest and their tenacity in staying put in rough economic times has allowed other shops to venture into this quaint little downtown which is so characteristic of backroads Georgia's historic small town storefronts that run along the train tracks.

Factory Antiques is dedicated to being open regular hours (closed Sunday) which is so critical in building a strong customer base.
Here you can find some of the very best architectural antiques and vintage hardware supplies in the area, along with trendy and large-scale pieces.

Original industrial art is sold here as well....the rebar willow tree sculpture pictured above is just one example.

I don't think I have actually ever left this cool shop without buying something!

Need a corbel? This is the largest collection I have seen in one place.

Upstairs you can indulge in a full-on treasure hunt
amid the historic ambiance of exposed rafters and original brick and plaster walls.

If I lived in an industrial loft I wouldn't have left without this table!

A few doors down from Factory Antiques is "Second Hand Rose" -- a newer shop (also closed that day) which is larger than it looks on the outside and has a wide variety of vintage offerings.

"Along The Line" Antiques is the oldest shop in town and has cool architectural pieces inside and out.

"Rewind" is a vintage/interiors shop.

MaryAnn's "Fancy That" is a new addition, and sits just across the main highway running through town.

This new shop "Antiques and More" had only been open a few weeks, and it is already one of my favorites. It's quite unassuming on the outside but large inside, and I found some great stuff in here--at great prices.

There are also several thrift shops along this section of storefronts which are worth checking out.

BTW -- come later in the week to be sure to catch everyone open.