An Antiques Oasis

My younger sister Maggie moved to Phoenix a few years ago. But despite frequent visits and the often-searing temperatures, I could never warm to the place. Phoenix has sprawled (some might say exploded) too far across the beautiful desert. Whatever charms held my sister there eluded me.

Then Maggie introduced me to nearby Glendale, where she recently found a house. Forgive me, sister. Now I see the light.

One national newspaper ranked Glendale as one of America’s top 10 places to shop for antiques. Founded more than a century ago, the city of 212,000 has become one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, but residents strive to retain a small-town feel. A dense concentration of more than 90 antiques shops and specialty stores lines tiny Old Towne and the historic Catlin Court, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

My mom is a frequent shopping buddy, so one Saturday morning in December we flew from Los Angeles to Phoenix to see Maggie’s new neighborhood. Because she was still moving into her house, we checked ourselves into the nearby 342-room Sheraton Crescent, which was reliably comfy and offered discounted weekend rates ($99 a night plus tax).

After a quick tour of my sister’s new digs, we cruised down Glendale Avenue toward the memorabilia mecca. It wasn’t hard to spot: Old Towne stood like a romantic movie set. Hundred-year-old storefronts looked out on tree-lined streets with red brick sidewalks and working gaslights; the town trolley (a free service for shoppers) clanged its bell.

Old Towne’s four main blocks surround two-acre Murphy Park, named for town founder W.J. Murphy. The weekly Saturday Outdoor Market, held October through May, was in full swing on the park green. Forty booths sold an assortment of goods--candles, hand-crafted quilts and homemade pumpkin bread, peppermint fudge and marmalade.

Our crawl began at the Antique Emporium, which featured an 1890s drugstore soda fountain and general store, its shelves lined with hundreds of vintage tins of products from yesteryear for sale. Maggie scored first, purchasing a pair of 1930s police badges for her boyfriend’s collection.

Next stop was the multi-dealer Antiquearena, where two floors showcased classic model cars, retro lunch boxes and ‘50s kitchen kitsch. I considered a pair of outer-spacey, pearl-framed eyeglasses that looked humorously chic. But I wear contacts. That and the $45 price tag changed my mind.

At Lois’ Lovables, vintage cookie jars, figurines and salt-and-pepper sets made my mom wax poetic about her Pennsylvania childhood. She speculated about how much her old throwaways would fetch today.

Glendale’s biggest stop for collectors is A Mad Hatter’s Antiques & Collectibles, which has more than 20,000 square feet of “something for everyone.” We scoured its nooks and crannies for 45 minutes and somehow showed the fortitude to walk out without a purchase.

A short stroll away, we found Historic Catlin Court District, on the northern edge of Old Towne. Four blocks of converted Craftsman bungalows house 30 shops.

At the Spicery, the heady aroma of baking bread filled the air. Dating from 1895, this was the area’s first teahouse; it serves brunch, lunch and afternoon tea. We planted ourselves at an indoor table. I nibbled delicate home-baked gingerbread while Mom and Maggie shared a plate of fruit scones--warm, crumbly and smeared with sweet butter. Over a steaming pot of Earl Grey, my sister enlightened us on more of the town’s appeal.

There’s the Bead Museum, with a huge collection of ancient, ethnic and contemporary beads from around the globe, plus classes, gift shop and reference library. The tiny American Museum of Nursing has fine examples of old Florence Nightingale-style uniforms and nursing memorabilia. And let’s not forget Max’s Sports Bar, which purports to have America’s largest collection of football helmets. (Go ahead, laugh. But do you know how much sports memorabilia brings these days?)

We decided to save Catlin Court’s shops for Sunday, instead returning to Glendale Avenue and Hole in the Wall Antiques. “I wanted to save the best for last,” Maggie said, ushering us through the door. “Hold on to your wallets.”

Inside, the rambling shop’s walls were covered in old-fashioned metal signs, some boasting the benefits of long-forgotten goods or declaring odd sayings: “Drink Moxie,” “Hambone Mild & Mellow 5-cent Cigars,” “Norka Root Beer Tastes Better” and my favorite, “THINK Before You Spit on the Floor.”

Timeworn iron utensils from the kitchen and barn, increasingly coveted by collectors, took their deserved place among old brass cash registers, telephones, coffee grinders and egg scales. An 1890s child’s wagon stood next to a claw-footed metal tub. Wooden washboards, schoolroom clocks, framed sepia photos and mounted deer heads hung over player pianos.

My mom fell hard for an armless carved wooden rocker padded in deep brown leather, reasonably priced at $275. When the saleswoman explained that it was an early 20th century “nursing rocker,” my mother told us to spare her the jokes: “It’s going next to the living-room fireplace. The cat will love it.”

By the time delivery arrangements were finished, we were ready for dinner. Maggie suggested Haus Murphy’s, a landmark next door. It’s an eclectic spot: Southwestern locale, Irish name, German grub.

A cheerful hostess showed us to a pretty dining patio in the rear, but I guided us back to the busy cafe, where the walls were lined with photos of early Glendale and, in one corner, a couple sat at the antique soda fountain.

My mom ordered Balkan schnitzel, tender pork loin topped with a robust bell pepper-and-mushroom gravy. “Out of this world,” she declared. Maggie settled on a savory sauteed chicken breast with paprika sauce.

I asked the waitress for a vegetarian dish and got a colorful salad that included red cabbage, snow peas, sliced almonds and a tangy vinaigrette. With a side order of homemade spaetzle, my meal was delicious.

When we emerged, the sun had set but the night was bright. Trees, buildings and lampposts were blanketed in 1 million colored lights to produce “Glendale Glitters,” an annual holiday festival. It culminates this Saturday with “Glitter and Glow,” a giant block party with three dozen glowing hot air balloons, live bands, fire dancers and street buskers.

The next day, Maggie met us back in Old Towne, and we spent the rest of the morning exploring Catlin Court’s shops. Though the setting was lovely--tiny cottages, white picket fences, tree-shaded cafes--not all stores are open on Sundays, and I was a little disappointed by the items for sale: ho-hum quilts, country clothing, folk art, dolls and mass-produced “crafts.”

One standout was Couryhouse, stocked with antique children’s books and hard-to-find first editions. I bought for Maggie a copy of Margaret Wise Brown’s “The Runaway Bunny,” which I read to her every night when she was little.

We paused for bowls of home-style tomato soup and warm, crusty rolls at Catlin Court Cafe. Then it was on to Simple Pleasures, a garden-themed store where my green-thumbed mother liked the yard art.

Town leaders have discussed plans to build a luxury hotel, movie complex and performance arena in the neighborhood. The council wants Old Towne to be more than just antiques. What a pity. All the more reason I’m glad to have experienced it when I did.

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Budget for Two

Round-trip air fare, LAX to Phoenix: $184.00

Car rental, two days: 43.83

Sheraton Crescent Hotel, one night: 109.95

Lunch, the Spicery: 14.00

Dinner, Haus Murphy’s: 27.75

Breakfast, Sheraton: 16.89

Lunch, Catlin Court Cafe: 15.00

FINAL TAB: $411.42

Sheraton Crescent, 2620 W. Dunlap Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021; telephone (800) 423-4126 or (602) 943-8200, Internet www.arizonaguide.com/sheratoncrescent/index.html.