Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium review

Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium front

Introduction
While recently visiting the East coast of England, I stumbled across a small antiques outlet called Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium which is located in Sutton-on-Sea in Lincolnshire. Easily identifiable by the masses of antique furniture on the pavement and the two mannequins dressed in period clothing, the small shop is owned by husband and wife team Robin & Jeannie Nicholson. What I found on the inside is nothing short of spectacular.

The way in to Knicks Knacks

Overview
Walking in to the shop at first you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s simply not being looked after with the stock on the floor, but as you turn the corner into the main shop floor area, your eyes are filled with cups, dolls, lamps, cameras and signs. The list is endless, as is the display. From floor to – and including – the ceiling, stock fills the shelves, pushed in front of other stock and piled on top.

The front of the shop is dominated by a centre gondola that can’t be seen anymore because of the amount of stock that smothers it. Walking around just this section of the shop easily keep you occupied for at least 30-60 minutes, depending on your interests.

However, turn your back on that and you have the area that Jeannie sits and serves customers. It’s a typical work space with a till and stationary, except that stock has started to spill over onto the desk making the work area much smaller. Canes and umbrellas fill various stands and pots in front of the desk and I picked up a splendid silver topped black cane for a modest fee.

A sign indicates that there is more stock in the back and indeed, a narrow path leads to the rear of the store. The left side of the corridor is shelved and even more antiques and bric-a-brac stuff each one. a section dedicated to antique cameras is found here with working and non-working models from Praktica to Kodak Box Brownies. If you were to spin around and face the opposing wall, an opening will take you into what would be a staff section, but is now where they keep larger items of furniture such as hat stands, chairs and radiators. You can also go upstairs where there are three rooms of large furniture. Portraits adorn the walls as you scale the stairs to the next storey. they vary in price with the cheapest we saw at £7.50. You can also find various items of vintage clothing upstairs.

Pictures adorn the walls of the stairs

Some clothes are sold upstairs

Medium to large furniture sits upstairs

Back in the corridor and you can keep moving towards the back of the store. Before you know it, you’re outside where a few bits and bobs have been placed, such as large Belfast style sinks.

An entire section dedicated to cups and saucers

However, that’s not all because the large storage area in the back has also been opened up into an extra part of the shop. An entire aisle is dedicated to tea cups and saucers. The rest of the building is a mish mash of clutter, large items, chairs and stuff seemingly thrown into a space. For example, a Father Christmas doll placed on top of a vintage photograph printing enlarger.

A Father Christmas doll sits on top of a vintage enlarger

The outside storage area has larger furniture

After wandering around in there for a good 45 minutes, I realised that I’d still only really browsed. On top of this, the shop unit next door is also owned by the couple. It specialises in music and has many vintage records, record players and gramophones. Along with the came, I managed to get a splendid non-working gramophone with horn speaker for under £50.

The gramophone I bought

Conclusion
If you’re in Lincolnshire and near to the East coast, then make sure you take a detour and have a look at Knicks Knacks. You’ll also have to make sure you have at least an hour spare in order to have a decent look round everything and rummage through boxes.

There are usually a few car boot sales and markets dotted around the local area at the weekend, especially on the main road from Sutton-on-Sea to Skegness. If you find yourself around there, maybe make a weekend of it. That part of the coastline is quiet and a delight to look at. I went during the Summer and the sunshine brightens everything up. There are small chapels, fishing cottages and traditional British coastal towns scattered along the way.

You can visit the Knicks Knacks website here: Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium website

The address is: 41 High Street, Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire, LN12 2EY

Ratings
Stock range 5
Staff professionalism 5
Value for money 5
Overall 5