OPEN THE door of Yesterday’s Treasures on the corner by the Bedford County Courthouse at 105 Public Square W., and more than just your senses will come alive. The spicy aroma of apple and cinnamon beckons you inward as the uplifting tunes of soft rock from the 1970s hum from the speakers. The squatty metal stove, reminiscent of Granny’s kitchen, immediately evokes memories of her fluffy, lily-white biscuits and sausage gravy. You can almost smell the bacon frying in her coal-black iron skillet. As you meander further down the corridor leading you deeper into the alcoves, you pause to brush your fingertips against the hot pink dress of the Barbie identical to the one you received for Christmas decades earlier. The sweetness of strawberries and the tartness of lime replace the earlier memory of bacon as you lift the lid of a ruby-red candy dish and remember Aunt Mae. She always kept hers on the coffee table filled with ribbons of hard candy.
“Hey, honey, look at this,” your husband calls from the back corner. “My papa used to work with carpentry tools similar to these in his shed. These have wooden handles, just like the ones he had. And did you see the Army men over there in that booth? Mom and Dad gave me that entire set the year I turned 10. They must’ve gotten lost when we moved. I haven’t thought about them in years.”
Later, you study the intricate swirls and colors on the canvas of an oil painting before discovering a pair of table lamps that would match the curtains in your living room. After taking note of where they are located, your eyes are drawn to the glass case where the gemstones of dozens of brooches and trinkets sparkle from beneath the smooth, clear glass countertop. Even if you returned every day for a month, it would be impossible to uncover every treasure. From the winding staircase to every wall, shelf, chifforobe, and cupboard, every place you look overflows with collectibles, antiques, trinkets, curiosities, and memories.
When Rita Delvin was 14, her mother, Nola Hawn, encouraged her to have a yard sale.
“I told her, ‘I’m not going to sell stuff to people,’ but here I am running another successful business, doing just that. I didn’t think I could ever have my own business, but I kind of stepped out on faith. Besides running my antique shop, I also ran a cleaning business for 34 years. I like to know that my treasures find a new home. This business is not only about the money — it’s the people. I love to hear the stories from the ones who come into my shop, and ‘my girls’ that work alongside me are like family.”
Delvin comes from a heritage of collectors. It’s practically embedded in her DNA. Her mother proudly displayed over 400 cookie jars on shelves that were custom-built by Delvin’s dad, who owned L&M Cabinet Shop. Her father, Leamon, collected and restored Ford Motor cars from the 1930s and 1940s. Her mother also worked at Southern Thrift in Nashville for 34 years, so running an antique business came naturally for Delvin. Now that her parents are in heaven, she proudly displays her mom’s cookie jars. She also gave dozens to family and close friends and brought several to share with her customers.
“People visit our shop on the square from all over the world and I say, ‘Come in. Make yourself at home. Tell me your story.’ And they do. As those jars have been rehomed, I love to know where they go, and I have shared the story of my mother’s collection with every new cookie jar owner. There is always a story behind our treasures. Most are unique or one of a kind. Don and I moved our family from Nashville 35 years ago and have built our forever home in Rover. I’ve owned this shop in the Gunter Building for the last 10 years, and it takes a particular type of person to venture into running a small business. You must love it. But this shop is my ‘happy place.’ I couldn’t do this without my husband. He is always so patient and jumps in any time I need him.”
Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, the push to “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” has gained traction. The home decorating trends of today lean heavily on eclectic “collected” furnishings and decor, which incorporate vintage textures and textiles and have resurrected the American farmhouses of the past. Popular styles such as cottagecore, grandmacore, and modern farmhouse weave the old and the new together seamlessly. Trends such as these have helped resale shops like Yesterday’s Treasures step out of the lamplight and back into the limelight.
“Older folks come into my shop to remember,” said Delvin. “But I’m noticing that the younger generations — 40 and under — are coming in. They are just in awe, and they are excited to learn about the items and how they were used. They are the ones who are collecting now, and they are excited to do so.”
Delvin invites everyone to drop by, look around, and share their memories with her and the entire crew at Yesterday’s Treasures. Mention this article and receive 10% off your next purchase. GN
