Antiquing in Greene County: River Towns and the Catskill Mountaintop

Greene County antiquing splits three ways: river towns down low, resort towns up on the mountaintop, and a scatter of surprising stops in the valley between. It also has more local history per square foot of shop space than anywhere else on this site. Athens made some of the most important stoneware in New York for nearly a century, and the mountaintop was one of America's first great vacation destinations. Both left plenty behind.

Treat the river and the mountain as separate trips. The drive between them is real, and rushing it means less time at the stops that deserve it.

River towns, morning: Coxsackie Antique Center

Coxsackie Antique Center, 12400 Route 9W in West Coxsackie, has more than 100 dealers on a single 15,000-square-foot floor and is open every day, 10 to 8. What sets it apart is the Repro-Free Zone policy: reproductions aren't allowed, anything caught is pulled, and a fake sold by mistake gets your money back. There's a reference library on site and a "match-maker" file that connects collectors with dealers who might have what they want.

Prices vary booth by booth. If you like something, ask the front desk whether the dealer offers a discount. Staff will often call or text the dealer for a best price.

Ten minutes north, Pickers Nation in Ravena fills an old ice house with 25+ dealers. It's just outside the county line but sits naturally on the same morning.

Midday: Catskill's Main Street

Catskill has one of the better small antiquing Main Streets in the valley:

• Swamp Angel Antiques (349 Main) specializes in hand tools, decoys, and sporting art. Call ahead for hours.
• Catskill Antique Market (321 Main) is a group shop with 20+ vendors, closed Tuesdays. Call first.
• Catskill Collectibles (386 Main) focuses on Catskills memorabilia and regional history.
• Townhouse Antiques and Bob Barnes Toys and Ephemera (375 Main) is the stop for antique toys, postcards, and paper.
• Sister Salvage 2.0 (390 Main) is a well-curated junk store. Call for hours.

The mountaintop

Up Route 23A, Tannersville is where the Catskill resort era is easiest to feel.

• Last Chance Antiques and Cheese Cafe (6009 Main Street) has been there since 1971 and is a restaurant, cheese shop, and antique store in one. See also its Hudson Valley Almanac listing. Hours shift with the season.
• Tannersville Antique and Artisan Center (6045 Main) has dealers and local artisans in a renovated 19th-century building, with quilts, Native American rugs, Americana, and New York paintings.
• Rustic Mountain (5999 Main) is run by a pair of pickers who reset the floor constantly. Call ahead for hours.

A few minutes east, the road to North-South Lake leads to the ledge where the Catskill Mountain House once stood.

The valley and the auctions

• The Market Place in East Durham packs 125+ vendors into a 20,000-square-foot building.
• Greene County is a real auction county: Lincoln Auction and OC Antique and Auction Services in Catskill, Mooney's Auction Service in Freehold, and Carlsen Gallery in Freehold. All post their sale dates online. If you've never been to a country auction, this is a good place to try one.

Eat and drink nearby

• Coxsackie: Coxsackie General Store and The Little Bake Shop.
• Catskill: Rip Van Winkle Brewing, Crossroads Brewing, Catskill Taproom, and Left Bank Ciders.
• Tannersville: Deja Brew, Shandaken Bake, and The Pantry On Main.

Make a day of it

Day one: Coxsackie when it opens at ten, Catskill's Main Street for midday and lunch. Day two: drive up 23A in the morning and spend the day in Tannersville. Greene County's own tourism guide says to contact businesses for hours, and many shops, especially up the mountain, keep no fixed schedule, so call ahead more here than anywhere.