By Carol Fisher-Linn
Antiquing at NYS’s largest antique mall…. A great place for casual wanderings, and treasure hunting:
With upcoming Presidents Day providing a playday for many, and with Valentine’s Day around the bend, why not consider a shopping trip to the Salamanca Mall Antiques? Celebrated as one of the largest in the entire United States and surely THE largest in New York State, visitors can wander through 60,000 square feet of glass displays (1 and 1/10th times the size of a football field or 3.5 times as big as a hockey rink) and larger, room-sized spaces for furniture and large pieces from over 1000 vendors. Heads up: along with adventure and fun, a lot of walking is involved.
Sophia Kolokouris, whose family (Patriarch Peter, Matriarch Kathy, siblings Helen, John, Tasos and Demitri) operates this mall and another smaller one in Henrietta NY, states that benches and seating spots are available along the wide aisles and pathways as well as walkers with seats to make shopping and treasure hunting much more enjoyable. A true family affair, they share the responsibility of overseeing their family businesses which are operated from their home base in Rochester, NY.
Sophia, while driving her customary two-hour drive to Salamanca, related that since 1988, when they first became a presence in the Salamanca property, their desire is that their patrons feel as if they are guests in their own homes.
As one enters the overall clean facility (it is, after all, filled with dusty old antiques! Shouldn’t it be dark and dreary?) it can be overwhelming as one begins to navigate the many nooks and crannies, twists and turns, down aisle after aisle of treasures from the past and faraway lands. Tracing history or writing a story? It’s a perfect place to forage for inspiration.
Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, maybe even carry a pocket notepad marking down spots one wants to revisit. In a way it’s a maze – not like the feared Maze Runner but like an Alice in Wonderland adventure. There have been times I had wished for a pocket of crumbs to leave behind to find my way back. Ok, slight exaggeration!
My husband, a frequent visitor said this: they have more items than Carter’s got Little Liver pills. The joke is you might even find a bottle of those vintage pills in a display somewhere!
What else might you find? Vintage coins, costumes, furniture, dolls, jewelry, porcelain, Native American items, pewter, clothing, books, records, tapestries, tools, knives, helmets, military items from various wars, silver ware, Legos, dolls, stuffed critters, maps, crochet doilies, glassware, pottery, bicycles, tables, hutches, linens, manuscripts, religious icons, flags, heck, maybe a vintage Victrola or skate key on a string from my day!
The immense building takes up an entire block. According to city historian James K. Griffith, who also previously served as Cattaraugus County Clerk, that whole block at one time was filled with a string of businesses and residential buildings, likely comparable to Ellicottville’s “Brick Block.” Remembering that as a kid, James and his friends could go to main street and visit a restaurant, a bank, Newbury’s Department store, a pet shop, Lee’s Harvey and Carey drugstore, and a number of small businesses and residences that were razed under “Urban Renewal” in the early 1960’s. To draw a broader picture of Main Street Salamanca on those older days, at that time there were four car dealerships on Main. If you didn’t want to travel by car, you could always buy a canoe at the Outdoor Store to travel down the Allegheny nearby. Salamanca was a very happening place but that changed over time when the railroad industry (Erie Lackawanna Railway) ceased many passenger services through the city.
In the 70’s, when I had a small shop in Salamanca, the building across the street (now the mall) held Brandner’s Department Store, a bank, two-screen cinema, Rite Aid and the still existing Family Dollar. I grabbed a bite at Goobers Main St. Grill and Cafe where you can also experience a throwback in time at their 50’s themed restaurant with vintage décor and many scratch-made food items. Worth-Smith hardware store (old Rite Aid section) completes the occupancy of the building.