THEY LOVE the thrill of the hunt. Cheryl Hobbs said she comes from a long line of women who sat up on Saturdays and sold their items at yard sales, auctions, and other events. The success of Saturday sales depended upon the diligence of the digger. A box of random junk holds a vintage cameo stickpin attached to a fading letter. A yard sale on a rainy day yields a complete set of
antique silverware, and an old dresser, drooping on from years of neglect, is buried under mismatched chipped china and abandoned tools.
A grandmother buys the cameo to add to her granddaughter’s collection. The letter finds its way home with a writer intrigued by its content and anxious to create a story around it. The dresser isn’t recognizable after paint and new hardware. The seller parcels out the mismatched china and abandoned tools over time, connecting buyers to their favorite memories.
But Hobbs saw another way of continuing the life of treasured items in The Browse House, a shop on the Huntsville Highway operated by her mother-in-law, Katherine Hobbs, who also ran The Mockingbird Antique Mall on the Fayetteville square.
“I fell in love with the stories behind the items she found to sell. Maybe that was part of my teaching background. My favorite story was of an old German shrunk she had purchased from a lady who had traveled the world with her spouse through the military. The beauty of it made me swoon, and the story absolutely sold me on selling and learning about furniture and history,” said Hobbs.
According to reference.com, a German shrunk, or schrank, is a type of tall furniture that can be a combination of cabinetry, shelving, drawers, and closets, commonly made of highly decorated wood. Imagine the love the couple had for the shrunk since each time her husband was transferred, the massive piece was disassembled and transported from station to station until they reached their new base.
Hobbs loved the stories so much that she opened her own shop when she retired from teaching. Generations, located on the Huntsville Highway in Fayetteville, caters to the next generation of furniture lovers in something new, old, and reimagined. It’s where Hobbs connects vendors and buyers and where stories are shared.
“We have true, honest antiques throughout the store, and we also have things that meet the needs of your common everyday buyer. One of the things I think our customers enjoy is the fact that every vendor brings a different card to the table. They’re all unique. They all have their own little niche in the things they do,” said Hobbs. Hobbs has a niche, too.
“I look for lots and lots of vintage. I look for substantial pieces of furniture that are solid and have withstood the test of time. I love vintage things from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s market. Those three really have my heart,” she said.
But where does she find those?
Hobbs said, “I love the dig. I love a good shop, mile-long yard sales, or finding a good yard sale on the side of the road where you can just dig and look.”
And Fayetteville is full of good shops.
“I wish that people realized Fayetteville is more of a destination than others know. My store is the farthest from the square. But between here and the square, there are four other stores where people can shop. And that doesn’t include all the other shops on the little side roads,” Hobbs said. “You could spend the whole day shopping from one end of Lincoln County to the other.”
As the sun sets on another day at Generations, whispers of forgotten tales and the promise of new beginnings fill the air within the store. The carefully curated collections of vintage treasures, lovingly restored and repurposed, radiate a timeless charm that transcends generations.
The relics of the past find new life in buyers’ hands, eager to weave their narratives into the tapestry of history. Each item holds a story, an untold chapter of a bygone era, waiting to be discovered by the next curious soul who crosses the threshold. With her passion for the hunt and an eye for the timeless, Hobbs and her vendors craft a haven where the past and present intertwine seamlessly.
New generations of buyers discover their style and find their treasures in Hobbs’
shop. Waiting to be discovered are items that might otherwise be gone forever and their stories with them. For the love of the story, make room on your calendar for a good hunt. You’ll be glad you did! GN
