Yellow Door Antiques and Art: A Treasure Trove of Unique Finds
Yellow Door Antiques and Art is a unique shop in Rome’s Historic River District that is sure to delight any treasure hunter. With a wide variety of antiques, handmade items, jewelry, pottery, paintings by local artists, and more, there is something for everyone at Yellow Door.
Whether you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture, vintage pieces of jewelry, or a unique gift for a special someone, you’re sure to find something at Yellow Door. The friendly and knowledgeable staff is always happy to help you find the perfect treasure, and they’re always adding new items to their inventory.
So, next time you’re in Rome, be sure to stop by Yellow Door Antiques and Art. You won’t be disappointed!
One of the best parts of blogging and writing articles about Rome is getting to know the people that make Rome so great. I was excited to get to know the extraordinary ladies that own Yellow Door Antiques and Art in Rome. Nedra Manners and Janet Fortune have been Yellow Door Antiques and Art co-owners since June 2015. I had the opportunity to sit down with them recently and learn how they became the owners of the Yellow Door and how it has grown over the years.
Nedra worked in mental health for over 30 years. While working in this field, she also gained experience selling antiques and estate sales. She eventually transitioned to selling antiques and doing estate sales full-time. Over time, she began to help manage several stores in downtown Rome. During this time, she met Janet, and they got to know each other.
Janet’s husband was in the Army for almost 40 years. This afforded her the unique opportunity of traveling all over the world. While in these new places, she enjoyed visiting markets and looking at all the trinkets and wares they had to offer. After her husband retired from the Army, they moved back to Rome, and she opened a booth at the antique store where Nedra worked. They quickly became friends and, when the opportunity presented itself, decided to explore the opportunity to open their own business. The two became business partners (along with Janet’s husband).
Finding the perfect location and name is always important when starting a business. The ladies knew that the City of Rome was planning to extend the downtown shopping district to North 5th Avenue and saw this as an opportunity they needed to act on. While looking at different properties, they kept being drawn back to the property with the “yellow door.” They loved the space! It was in a perfect location and had many windows to showcase their items. As they considered different names for their shop, they kept returning to “Yellow Door.” The name was settled when a local artist, Blacktop, gave them the gift of a painted picture of the front of the shop’s yellow door. The artist’s painting became the logo and brand of the business. It’s not hard to find their shop when you drive down North 5th Ave; you look for the Yellow Door.
Inside the store, you will find a fantastic array of collectibles, antiques, and handmade and specialty items offered by many local vendors. Around every corner, you are sure to find something wonderful and unique. Each vendor has a dedicated spot or booth that they rent so they can display their items.
Yellow Door also supports local artists. Blacktop is just one of the many local artists that display art for purchase in the store. Blacktop has since moved away from Rome but still has a booth for his artwork.
Yellow Door has seen several changes since opening its doors in 2015. When they started, their space was only one side of the shop. Early one morning, there was a fire in the business next to them. Yellow Door was unharmed by the fire, but unfortunately, the firefighters broke the iconic Yellow Door when they entered to ensure the fire had not spread. The Yellow Door was replaced. While the fire was tragic, it allowed them to grow their business. The building owner divided the adjacent space between Yellow Door and their neighbor, Sassy Salvage. This provided the opportunity to expand and add new vendors and artists.
Through the years, they have had various items come through their shop. Vendors regularly bring in new things. They find some items to be more popular than others. As a result, you never really know what you may find as you browse Yellow Door’s nooks and crannies. It is an ever-growing and evolving store.
The past few years have brought some new challenges for everyone. Yellow Door met these challenges by turning to social media to keep its presence known in the community. They also took further precautions to ensure their customers felt safe inside the shop. They not only took care of their customers but their vendors as well. They supported their vendors through the shutdown and have stayed committed to the store. They also rely on each other for support and motivation.
Since Rome is a smaller town, it is the perfect place to visit and do some shopping and antiquing. Yellow Door has something for everyone. Everyone’s budget, taste, and style can be satisfied.
Yellow Door is very involved in the community. They have sponsored theater productions with RAD (River Arts District Playhouse) and are active in Downtown Development Authority. They feel it is imperative to be a presence in the community. Being a small business, it is so essential to build relationships with other small businesses and support their success. I encourage you to stop by and visit Yellow Door. You will not be disappointed.
Their store hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. They are located at 219 North 5th Ave SW. You can find them online at www.yellowdoorantiques.com and on Facebook @Yellow Door Antiques and Art.
If you are interested in booth rental or estate sales, please stop by and meet with Nedra during their business hours.
