Ballard is a prime example of that phenomenon, she says. A decade ago, it was a hot antiques retailing area, but it has only a handful of shops today. The formula seems straightforward enough. Regan says he looks for towns that are close to major cities, making day trips possible. Small towns are preferable, in part because antique-retailing areas stand out more.
Rents tend to be lower there, too.
People who think they would like to can't make a go of it. And then there's the matter of merchandise. As Miller notes, retailers can't just order up what customers are looking for. They're subject to both the changing tastes of customers and the vagaries of what's available to sell. Failing that, some will sell whatever's available, even if it's barely above garage-sale quality.