Great Escape: Antiquing in Your Own Backyard

Just off the hustle and bustle of Route 19, a few remnants of Pine’s past still remain. This collection of historic buildings on Church Road between Route 19 and Route 910 is still known as the Village of Old Wexford, and it makes a charming spot to wile away a quiet afternoon.

Start your afternoon with lunch at the historic Wexford Post Office Deli. As the name implies, the cozy wooden building once served as Wexford’s post office. Before that it was the Harmony Short Line’s station house.

Today, the Wexford Post Office Deli offers a refreshing change from the fast-food restaurants on nearby Route 19. Try a traditional egg, ham, chicken or tuna salad sandwich with a cup of soup. If you’re feeling more adventurous (and hungrier) opt for the Rachel Panini – grilled and buttered ciabatta topped with Boar’s Head corned beef, swiss cheese, Russian dressing and cole slaw. Don’t forget to pick up some homemade lemon squares for later.

When you’re finished with lunch, take a short hop across the street to the Wexford General Store. In its early days, the store was a stagecoach stop and housed a creamery, feed mill, slaughterhouse, butcher shop and post office.

James and Marianne Marino restored the building and reopened it as a collective antiques store in 1967. Today, more than 20 dealers rent space in the store to offer their wares. Antiques and vintage finds, from furniture and architectural items to estate jewelry and clothing,  fill a dozen or more rooms on two floors.

Nancy Coopey specializes in vintage glassware, but her current favorite item is a giant coffee grinder from a store in Ligonier.

“It’s different,” she said. “The receptacle for the coffee after it’s ground looks like a mailbox.”

Other treasures include walnut file cabinets with brass pulls that date to 1886 and a large wooden horse’s head.

If you find something you like, don’t be afraid to bargain.

“You can definitely ask,” said Coopey. “If you pay with cash or check, we can give a 10-percent discount. Nobody’s going to wiggle too much on the smaller stuff, but on bigger stuff you can bargain.”

Whether you’re a serious treasure-hunter or just a window shopper, make sure you wear a watch -- it’s easy to lose track of time exploring everything this store has to offer.