Lewis Trimble: A Most Extraordinary Shop/ Squash Penny

Lewis took my Mother and myself to a family gathering. He must have gotten some very good Karma. Because after the family gathering we went Antiquing in the area. We had no luck at all in Richmond, but decided to search out a Shop outside of the city. Route 95 going toward D.C. was crowded so we hopped on to old route 1. there was nothing of interest in Ashland, but we pushed on out to find "Squash Penny Antiques" at Squash Penny junction in Doswell VA. Suzanne Fleet and Richard Wheeler had visited our shop many times. It was time for us to return their visit.

They had mentioned that they had their business in an old country store. They had always bought interesting things from us. Knowing this we were still not prepared for the shop. As soon as we rounded the corner to their shops, our visual senses were assaulted by a wide variety of very interesting and fun things. There were whimsical things all over the area. Because there were steps and I run in an electric wheel chair, I could not go inside. So many times I just have to sit out side and wait to see what Lewis finds. Suzanne and Richard greeted us like long lost friends. Suzanne knowing that I could not make it inside, said to look around the side of the building. I can only say Wow. I rolled right into an enchanted garden. It was inhabited by frogs, sand cast African ones and old cement toads. An amusement park lion roared from a clump of ivy under trees. At the old water pump there was an array of baby doll parts and pieces laying on a bed of moss. A young nude girl throws her arms up in undisturbed joy among the Angel's bugles. Just on the other side of a fenced area a Scrap metal horse raises up to whinny. Then there was the wall created out of parts and gears from old farm equipment. Far to the back was the very large bottom half of a face mask.

Out front a wooden carved bear rears up near a post. A very large sculpture of a hand waves at the trains as they rumble by. and a cart pulled by a red chicken with black spots driven by a small child in a lady bug costume waits to pick up passengers. While we were there an Am track train barreled by, I can only imagine how surprised those passengers were to see these sights. Best of all was the tin man from the Wizard of Oz riding a bicycle. This was only the out side of their shop.

The old country store was filled to the brim with all sorts of antique signs and advertizing memorabilia.

They have more jammed into their Country store than we have in our 8,400 square feet of space. For the most part their items are much smaller than ours.

Suzann bought the Squash Penny Building 16 years ago. She has been doing antiques for 30 years now. She had always rented old country stores in the past. When she found that Squash Penny country store was for sale, she just had to buy it. Now moving to another location would be impossible. They just have too much good stuff.

So much so that when the old bank building across the road from the store came up for sale they knew that this was the answer, Now they have two buildings plus a shed in the back of the country store.

The country store houses all sorts of wondrous stuff and the new bank building houses some of their higher end items. I can not imagine that we actually beat the American Pickers to this picker paradise.