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Chester County Press

Plenty of treasures waiting to be discovered at the Old Dusty Cupboard at Barnsley Road Antiques & Flea Market

03/12/2019 02:13PM ● By Steven Hoffman

Antiques, handmade crafts, primitives, decorative items and other treasures are just waiting to be discovered at the Old Dusty Cupboard at Barnsley Road Antiques & Flea Market in Oxford.

The store, which opened in July of last year, is located in the old Chrome Dairy building on Barnsley Road. It has a very comfortable, country living vibe.

“Everybody who walks in, they always say how the atmosphere is so welcoming,” explained Jean Barker, the owner of the store. She added “The Old Dusty Cupboard” into the name of the store because it hints at the wide variety of fun items that can be found there—everything from

Hess trucks and miscellaneous Cocoa Cola products to clocks and paintings. There are toys for children, dolls for collectors, and furniture at every price point. There are seasonal items and lots of handmade crafts to enjoy.

You never know what treasures you’ll find at the store.

“It really just depends on the season,” Barker explained.

One reason that there will always be something new at The Old Dusty Cupboard is that Barker is always hard at work making new items.

“I've always been a crafter,” she said, explaining that her mother taught her how to sew at a young age. Customers love her primitive dolls, pillows, and punch-needle embroidery items that are so popular right now.

When Barker is asked how many items in the shop are handmade by her, Barker laughed. “Oh, my,” she said. “There might be more than 100 pieces. I'm constantly creating new things.”

Is it ever hard to sell an item that she made by hand?

Not really, Barker replied. She pointed out that while she certainly loves some of things that she makes by hand, it is very gratifying to know that others love it, too.

“You put your heart into it,” Barker explained, “but it brings a lot of joy to me to see other people want to put the pieces in their homes.”

Barker said that she loves interacting with customers, and customers, in turn, like talking to the person who has made some of the items that are available in the store.

 “I think people really like that it's a local person making these items,” Barker explained.

Of course, not all the items are handmade. Some are hard-to-find treasures of the past. Barker herself likes shopping around for antiques. Barnsley Road Antiques & Flea Market features a co-op of vendors offering the best antiques and collectibles. Right now, there are 16 regular vendors who set up shop at the location, offering a wide variety of items.

“We're offering outdoor spaces for $5 per space. It's open to everybody who wants to sign up,” Barker explained.

The goal is to continue to expand the number of vendors so that that customers have an even greater selection when they visit.

The hours for the Old Dusty Cupboard are Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, email Barker at [email protected] or visit the business on Facebook.