If you're looking for a country alternative to the Brooklyn Flea--a place to hunt quirky finds to the sound of trees rustling rather than sirens blaring, hop a bus to Phoenicia--an artsy hamlet in the Catskills.
There, Laura Levine, an artist, photographer and avid treasure hunter, stocks Homer and Langley's Mystery Spot to the brim with vintage clothes, antiques, books, vinyls and other relics.
Levine estimates that half of her customers come from Brooklyn to dig through her women's vintage room (which could signal that the flea craze is inspiring intrepid shoppers to venture farther for unique finds). The other half of Levine's customers are a mix of locals and weekenders who wander in from the hamlet's small, but vibrant Main Street. In the summer, crowds gather outside the shop's porch, which transforms into a concert venue for her free Music for Front Porches series.
To get there, take a Trailways bus ($63 round trip) from the Port Authority bus terminal to Phoenicia's Main Street (just a short walk from the store). The 130-mile ride will take 3 hours, which can be cut down to 2-and-a-half if you can snag a car for the day.
Click in to get a sense of the shop's big personality, a peek at what you might find in Laura's seven-room "odditorium," and a quick list of other things not to miss while in town.
Homer and Langley's Mystery Spot Antiques; 72 Main Street, Phoenicia, NY 12464; 845-688-7868. If you venture up during the off-season, call before you come (it could be closed!).
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