|
Editorial Advertising General Information |
| Grandma Darlings Antique Mall Makes SH New Home By Ofelia Saenz, Signal Tribune staff writer 
It's finally here; after 83 years of being incorporated as a city, Signal Hill has one to call its own. Grandma Darlings Antique Mall opened its doors to the public last Friday and continues to gear up for its official grand opening event, which will take place Saturday, March 3. The mall features a variety of fine antiques and collectibles, including an entire floor of furniture such as china cabinets, dressers, headboards and tables. On the day of the mall's opening, owners Debbie Vasquez and her fiancé, George Willard, along with their smiling staff, greeted new customers anxious to discover all the wonderful treasures the mall has to offer. They also welcomed many of the familiar faces from the community of antique collectors and dealers, said Andrea Minton, who is general manager of the mall and Vasquez's daughter. While Minton is new to the business of antiques, Vasquez and Willard are not; Willard has been in the industry for about 30 years and the couple also owns Grandma Darlings Antique Shop in Seal Beach. "It's warming. Everyone is so friendly," Minton said. "It was kind of a reunion this morning [at the opening]. It's very exciting." Because the timing of Grandma Darlings' opening coincided with the closing of the Village Vault - another mall, formerly located in Long Beach near the corner of Carson Street and Bellflower Boulevard - the business was able to get off to a great start with dozens of already well-established dealers who relocated from the Vault. The 10,000 square-foot space where the mall is housed was used as an auto body garage before it was acquired for the mall. The spacious room and high-ceilings were revamped to showcase the many stalls of one-of-a-kind merchandise. According to Minton, there is still much work to be done before their official grand-opening event next month. This is actually good news for anyone looking for a particularly good deal on a piece of furniture that may need a little more attention; several of the less polished pieces are being marked down to make room for the more prized specimens in Willard's reserve. "You could redo a whole house with all the furniture here," said Minton. "If you like antiques, this is the place to come. We have something for everybody." Grandma Darlings is located at 2661 Junipero Avenue in Signal Hill, behind the Office Depot. The mall is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (562) 290-8285. |