Sherman Oaks Antique Mall: A Museum Where You Can Buy the Artifacts

The , for the sake of directness, is essentially a museum in which patrons are allowed to purchase the artifacts on display, with the help of a few very knowledgeable employees, or, to address them more accurately, curators.

The Antique Mall, which is located at 14034 Ventura Boulevard, is considered a Sherman Oaks treasure due to the treasures it offers. Over 85 antique vendors rent and occupy spaces within, selling artwork to jewelry to silverware to anything you can imagine.

But aside from its superficial appeal and its stunning collection of items you thought were only seen on television, the true appeal of the Sherman Oaks Antique Mall lies within the specificity of its merchandise.

This was explained to me Wednesday afternoon.

The Antique Mall does not merely sell antiques. It sells antiques, as well as vintage items and collectibles, all of which fall under a different guise.

An "antique" is an item that has been around for longer than 100 years, a large amount of which the Antique Mall exhibits. Antique jewelry from the Victorian era, antique silverware and toys, even antique mining equipment, all of these are found in abundance at the SOAM.

Now, a number of these antiques appear ready to crack with the slight graze of a finger, which is why a majority of my trip was spent with my hands in my pockets. But that adds to the luster of the antique shop, the fact that there are items that must be treated with care and respect, the opposite of cellular phones. 

"Vintage" represents the period essentially succeeding antique. Vintage items within the mall come from the early- to mid-20th century, such as the 1940s and 1950s.

Old Beach Boys albums seemed to be the vintage item that caught my eye on Wednesday. Even though I have maybe heard one Beach Boys song in my life, I was tempted to examine the album cover and perhaps listen to a few Beach Boys songs sometime soon. 

And lastly, "collectibles" are the items that are not necessarily attributed to a certain era, but are essentially worth being collected, such as old vinyl albums or comic books.

Also specific to the SOAM is its organization, or what may seem like a lack thereof. The interior promotes an "organized chaos" feel and at times, the SOAM seems cramped due to its wealth of merchandise, but each section that has been rented is neatly displayed for the shopper.

While the SOAM can often feel like a daunting labyrinth, one in which the shopper would be unable to analyze every crevice, its size and exclusivity are what make it a gem in the community.

Originality, in gift giving and decorating for example, is nurtured at the Antique Mall, where shoppers can find everything from vintage jewelry to vintage Chanel perfume at a vintage price. 

There also lives the idea of being a part of history, or engulfing one's self in something that actually mattered before aside from what matters in their life. 

Each item in the SOAM suggests that there is a story behind it, a story behind how it landed in the hands of a seller and in the aisles of an antique mall. That feeling is not one experienced by the shopper at an average retail store or gift shop. 

For instance, I love cereal. I think all young males, especially those that live alone, have at some point developed a special bond with cereal. So, at the SOAM, I noticed a vintage box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

As corny as it may sound, that box of cereal piqued my interest. I wanted to know the story behind it. It was like a trip down memory lane, even though I'm sure that box of cereal was at least twice my age. 

The Sherman Oaks Antique Mall successfully provides a sense of intrigue to its customers and promotes feelings of appreciation that other shops cannot, making it an important reminder of those that came before us and, that one day, what we value so much today will certainly become a thing of the past.