It was early last year that Dave & Pam Woolbright stopped in at the mall, with no intention of buying the place. But then a light bulb went off in their heads. The building had a lot of untapped potential, especially with the state’s largest flea market, held every Saturday from April through October, right across the street. They’d soon bought the place, and decided it would be best to start completely from scratch. So it was out with the old, and in with the, well… old! I was at the auction where the old mall’s tired inventory was sold, and after weeks of remodeling, the shiny new Woolbright’s River City Antique Mall was born. Pam & Dave have a simple business philosophy - a friendly atmosphere in a place where customers can find affordable quality antiques. Dave told me “ Things have gone almost better than planned. We got tons of help from my parents Linda & Walt, who are longtime antique dealers. I also want to give a big thanks to all of the other area antique shops. They’ve steered lots of business my way, and vice-versa. It’s great to have such a cooperative attitude among the other shops - and it really helps everybody in the long run.”

Among those dealers, you’ll find ones specializing in most anything. One large booth is filled with thousands of vintage buttons, yards & yards of old lace and fancywork, and antique fashions. Decoys are the passion of another dealer, and breweriana collectors will find lots to see here as well. Not to mention the dozens & dozens of general-line antique booths. One thing you won’t fail to be impressed with is the mall’s huge inventory of antique & vintage furniture - one of the largest around. From early 19th century primitives to mid-century modern, you can find it here. A recent inventory found an amazing 22 dining tables, 20 cupboards of all descriptions, 10 wardrobes, dozens of parlor tables, and lots more, all at very reasonable prices. You can shop here year ‘round of course, but a trip to Princeton, Wisconsin is especially exciting on flea market Saturdays. You’ll find it right across the street from River City Antique Mall, with literally hundreds of dealers offering everything from antiques to Amish baked goods to fresh produce. The Flea market season is already here at Princeton, and will run each & every Saturday through October. Dave said that while you’re here, be sure to check out the town’s other great antique shops, which now number nearly a dozen! River City Antique Mall has just added even more free parking; feel free to park there while visiting the flea market too!

The River City Antique Mall is located at 328 South Fulton Street, right on Highways 23 and 73. The mall is open year around. The hours are: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10 am to 5 pm; and Saturday 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. They are closed on Tuesdays except Memorial Day through Labor Day.River City offers delivery of large items, and if you’re looking for something special, just tell them, and they’ll call you as soon as one of their dealers shows up with it - no obligation, of course! They take all major credit cards. You can reach River City Antique Mall at 920-295-3475. And be sure to check out their website, www.rivercityantiquemall.com. It’s got photos of their ever-changing inventory, directions, and much more.