By Leah Seyoum
Canalside Chronicles
New is in, but the old never left. In a world racing for the best, newest things, some seek to find treasures of the past in little villages like Brockport.
“I’m on Main Street a lot, and it always catches my eye,” said long-time resident of Brockport Todd Baker. “I haven’t stopped in yet, but my wife likes antiques, so we really should check it out.”
Sarah Amelia Antiques is located in the heart of Brockport on Main Street. While its ownership has changed throughout the years, 65 Main St. has been home to old things for decades. Linda Tsardakas is its newest proprietor.
“It was kind of fate,” said Tsardakas. “I’ve been doing this for years. My partner and I had a place down in Village Gate and we had to get out of there because they kept raising the prices. Jill, who owned this place, wanted to sell it. So we came up to Brockport and fell in love with it. It all happened within three weeks.”
The walls of the shop were painted a warm yellow after a fire damaged the space years ago. Tsardakas decided to keep the color when she took over in August last year. The color fits and welcomes passersby and shoppers into their dream grandmother’s house, or someplace like it, where they can be comfortable. “Everybody comes here and talks,” said Tsardakas. “Maybe it’s me.”
A 1970s Schwinn bicycle, a Chippendale work table from the 1700s that may or may not have belonged to a signee of the Declaration of Independence, or a large, grainy mirror from a saloon in Las Vegas can be found at Sarah Amelia Antiques. Vintage items are brought in from all around the country. Tsardakas hunts for old treasures in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida and more.
“The college kids are great, very respectful,” said Tsardakas. With Main Street hosting various food joints, bars, and shops, it’s no surprise that many students from the College at Brockport frequent Sarah Amelia Antiques. This may in part be due to the enduring hipster trend whose followers prefer the vintage look. Regardless, there is something timeless about antiques that makes them intriguing to people of all ages, even college kids.
The Village of Brockport is comprised of many mom-and-pop, small businesses that give it the charm and character it boasts. Sarah Amelia Antiques is no exception. Every item in the shop is unique, old, and has a story- a story that is passed down through decades and centuries to be told to anyone in an antique shop who will listen. Linda Tsardakas tells some of these stories at her shop.
