Supervisor John McGlennon (Roberts), Charlie Crawford, Supervisor Michael Hipple (Powhatan), Chairwoman Mary Jones (Berkeley) and Assistant County Administrator Adam Kinsman celebrate the newest location of Charlie’s Antiques with a ribbon cutting. (Photo courtesy James City County)
For the third time in the course of its 42-year existence, Charlie’s Antiques is expanding.
Owners Charlie and Susie hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday for their newest location, Charlie’s, just a few doors down from Antiques, another location the pair opened at 6500 Richmond Road in December 2011.
Charlie and Susie Crawford first opened Charlie’s Antiques at 7766 Richmond Road in Toano 42 years ago, when the pair was 18. The business began as a small shop behind a former auction house, which eventually closed and afforded room for Charlie’s to grow. The location now focuses on landscaping items, but has an indoor space for antiques.
“I’m always thinking. I’m always dreaming. I’ve never stopped dreaming since I first started because I always like bigger stores,” Charlie said.
When Let’s Party closed at the end of December, Charlie seized the opportunity to launch yet another store. His goal is for the new store to increase shoppers’ awareness of the Lightfoot area, which offers several opportunities to consign or purchase merchandise and stop for a meal.
“We’re trying to get people to think of shopping as more than just a 15- to 20-minute trip,” Charlie said. “That’s kind of what our goal is: Not to just be Charlie’s, Charlie’s, Charlie’s but come on … and stay on this side of town.”
Charlie’s is located in the Williamsburg Pavilion Shops in Lightfoot. (Photo by Brittany Voll/WYDaily)
One of the store employees, Peggy, stages the stores to look like the inside of a house so people can picture antiques as pieces of their home. The two Lightfoot stores accept antique consignments, and will feature locally owned items Charlie purchases through Williamsburg Estate Services.
“The beauty of the antique business is nothing is the same,” Charlie said. “You’re not going to get bored. If you come here two weeks from now, it is going to look different.”
Charlie also travels the world buying items for his stores, some of which have been housed in a storage unit for more than 20 years, and are coming out to find new homes through Charlie’s. He has brought pieces of Indonesia, China, Hungary and Peru home with him.
“It’s thrilling when you bring back something that is older than the United States itself,” Charlie said. “I enjoy my business. I don’t just like what I do, I love what I do. The thrill of it is finding the unusual and offering it.”