Next Stop, Peacock Junction

Winter slows us down from all the rush and bustle of the holidays, and once rested, those addicted to junking begin to look for new adventures and seek new places to treasure hunt. This newest one I’d like to share with you will certainly be one you’ll want to visit, and take the time to really browse and enjoy.

This shop is Peacock Junction Antique Mall, located at 107 Railroad Street in Adairsville, Ga. The owners, Dan and Cindy Wade, opened their 6,500 square foot store in September 2017. Cindy told me that they had been buying and collecting anything from furniture to old tools and signs for many years. After they retired, they wanted to stay active, and decided they’d take what they’ve always enjoyed doing and form it into a business. Like many of us that love junking, they’d bought till they had run out of room. They first rented booths for a short while, and then began to look for a building to house their business.

Both Cindy and Dan’s careers had them commuting to Atlanta for years, so they wanted away from the hustle and bustle of traffic. When they found the building at 107 Railroad Street available, it fit their needs perfectly and was just north of their home in Adairsville. Cindy told me, “The historic building was built in 1900 as a peach packing shed for Elberta peaches, which was a booming business after the Civil War, and they were grown in the area and transported by railroad.”

Cindy explained that Old Highway 41 runs behind the town square in Adairsville, and is also known as “Peacock Alley.” She said, “The nickname was based on the beautiful chenille bedspreads often adorned with peacocks, which were hung from clothes lines to entice passing travelers on Highway 41 prior to the completion of Interstate 75 from Chattanooga to Atlanta.” They combined the “Peacock” with the “junction” of the railroad and called their store Peacock Junction Antique Mall. Cindy said they share with their customers how the chenille industry is historically significant to the area. Having the trains running right beside the building and hearing the whistles and rumbling really sets the mood of days gone by as customers browse and shop.

Those of us that had an opportunity to travel in this area years ago can remember the sheds all along Highway 41, where the bedspreads hung. Peacock Junction Antique Mall has bedspreads and even some with the peacocks. Cindy and Dan love looking for many different things, and you’ll find their dealers do as well. Their store is laid out in different booth sizes, and staged to accommodate what treasures are in each. You’ll find antiques, primitives, vintage, home furnishings, home decor, collectibles, costume jewelry and much more. While some booths may have trendy selections, other are traditional, and even modern pieces can be found in some.

The Wades are going to be holding events that their customers can enjoy as well. On Saturday, Feb. 10, the mall will host a book signing for four local authors. You will be able to meet and talk with the authors, purchase their books, and get their autographs. You can read about each on their FaceBook page.

If you’re traveling I-75, take Exit 306 to Adairsville, travel west on US 140, (if coming north, east if traveling south), continue left on to N Main St., right on Gilmer, left on S Railroad Street and Peacock Junction Antique Mall will be on your left just cross the railroad tracks. Cindy, Dan and their vendors invite you to like them on FB and call them if you have a question at 678-800-7000. You’re going to love shopping in this 117-year-old historic building full of timeless pieces of life and days gone by.

by Maxine Jones, Ocoee, Tennessee