Avonlea Antiques and Interiors in Jacksonville is a 15-minute drive from the University of North Florida campus and is the last antique mall standing of the six-location antique mall conglomerate.
Originally located on Beach Boulevard, the mall opened in 1993, a time when there was high demand for antique malls. During that time, Antique Land opened up six malls. Since then, five malls have gone out of business or closed due to urban development, but Avonlea Antiques and Interiors remains standing. It is now owned by Suszie Kerr, a former English professor from Great Britain. As the owner, Kerr oversees everything.
“Furniture is my love,” Kerr said.
The antique mall is filled with everything from old coins to extravagant armoires and everything in between.
With 208 vendors and their products, the mall is so large that it uses street signs to help customers navigate the aisles. The street names are labeled with green and white-arrowed rectangular signs that hang from the ceiling, beginning with 1st Street and counting up.
Inside the mall, customers can use maps to guide their way through shopping. Kerr and other employees can help them to find anything they need as well.
“I love being here,” Kerr said. “To me, it’s not a job.”
Richard Ong, an employee and vendor at the mall, agrees.
Ong has worked at the mall for over 10 years and currently rents three booths and seven cabinets. Ong sells over 40,000 collectible items at the mall, including stamps, coins, comics, sports cards and “pretty much anything.”
Being in the antique business for over 20 years, his community knows his role well.
Ong said a large part of his job at the antique mall is walking. With the mall being 40,000 square feet, he walks 40 to 50 miles a week.
“That’s what I enjoy, working here,” Ong said. “Walking and helping customers find stuff they can use.”
Sue Farmer is a frequent customer of the antique mall.
In particular, she enjoys what customers can find and purchase inside the women’s restroom.
“There is retro clothing on hangers and they have jewelry and hats,” Farmer said. “You could have a day just looking at the bathroom if you wanted to.”
The clothing consists of retro-style women’s blouses, pearl necklaces, jewelry, pants and more.
Farmer is also a part of Silver Sneakers, a senior fitness group that provides fitness classes of all diversity. The group celebrates members’ birthdays at the mall each month.
In October, their group celebrated two birthdays at the Full Circle Eatery, a restaurant inside the mall.
“We always come here because the people here are so nice, the food is so good, and we have so much fun.”
The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The antique mall is located at 8101 Philips Highway. It’s open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Those interested in stopping by Avonlea Antiques and Interiors can visit its website to learn more and can learn about becoming a dealer here.
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