Have you ever heard the term “picker’s paradise?” It certainly makes sense for buyers who find an amazing antique store in their hunt for aged treasures.

The search is often as much fun as the finds for those who make antiquing a hobby.

Here is a sampling of antique malls and shops to check out in the Akron, Columbus and Cincinnati areas. And since Springfield, Ohio, calls itself the antique capital of the Midwest, we’ve also added some big antiquing opportunities from that town.

Akron-area antiques

● Expect a visit to the I-76 Antique Mall off Interstate 76 at state Route 44 to go well beyond a pit stop. About 400 dealers sell their wares in the 50,000-square-foot space in Rootstown.

The mall opened in 1998 as the brainchild of Phil Florence, considered one of Ohio’s pioneers of a mall concept for antiques. He built his first one in Chillicothe as well as a much bigger one off Interstate 70 in Springfield, but the Rootstown mall is his biggest.

The 25-year-old Portage County antique mall is a regional attraction and a destination for travelers from out of state.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call 330-325-9776.

● Medina Antique Mall is along state Route 18 just east of Interstate 71. The antique mall opened in 1997 and has about 500 dealer spaces inside a former 52,000-square-foot Edwards grocery store.

Owner Lance Gifford said the place is always busy. More and more younger folks are shopping, too, so Saturday night, when the mall is open until 8 p.m., has become date night.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; holiday hours may vary. Call 330-722-0017.

● The Bomb Shelter is a great place to explore in the Middlebury neighborhood of Akron. Treasures from old homes and businesses within five to 10 minutes of Akron are displayed in owner Kevin Royer’s expansive warehouse at 923 Bank St.

Items range from furniture, knickknacks and books to ceramic pink flamingoes and vintage Akron tire ashtrays.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Call 330-258-0088.

Columbus-area antiques

● The Olde Shoe Factory Antique Mall invites guests to get lost in history and shopping at its more than 250 booths at 301 Forest Rose Ave. in historic Lancaster. The 60,000-square-foot historic building was once a shoe factory. It now offers glassware, pottery, primitives and coins, as well as farm, automotive, and advertising items and tools.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, see oldshoeantiques.com or call 740-687-1760.

● Heritage Square Antique Mall features 450 small business owners in one 53,000-square-foot space at 1865 Channingway Center Drive, Columbus.

Antiques and vintage items include furniture, home decor, collectibles, tools, jewelry, artwork, clothing, toys, militaria, sports memorabilia, pottery, glassware and primitives.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Call 614-864-8722 or visit heritagesquareantiquemall.com for more information.

● Eclectiques Antique Mall at 3265 N. High St. in Columbus features about 60 vendors offering mid-century modern and eclectic items as well as vintage clothing and jewelry.

Abbey Knight-Simeral, a vendor at Eclectiques for about five years, is the new owner after former owner Regis Hudock passed away in 2021. Knight-Simeral’s family owned the huge Heart of Ohio Antique Center in Springfield, Ohio, for 25 years.

“Don’t be afraid to mix old and new, and welcome antiques into your life. Embrace the kitsch, the quirky and the eclectic,” Eclectiques’ website says.

Hours are open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, see shopeclectiques.com or call 614-826-0152.

Cincinnati-area antiques

● The Riverside Centre Antique Mall invites shoppers to “experience antique paradise.” The 22,000 square-foot mall has more than 80 vendors offering mid-century modern, jewelry, books, coins, furniture, dinnerware, lamps, appliances, artwork, vintage, art deco, stereos, records and vintage clothing.

Riverside Centre is located at 3742 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. For more information, see or call 513-996-2014.

● Grand Antique Mall specializes in furniture from all periods and also sells china, glassware, vintage and new clothing, silver, art glass, pottery, jewelry, linens, paintings and more. The 27,000-square-foot Grand Antique Mall also offers everything from electric and oil lamp repairs to Victrola repairs.

It’s located at 9701 Reading Road, Reading. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 pm. Sunday.

● Ohio Valley Antique Mall, located at 7285 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, was voted one of the 10 best places to shop in Cincinnati by USA Today. Its large variety of antiques include furniture, accessories, jewelry, clothing, collectibles, tableware, building materials, books, magazines, posters and toys.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Call 513-874-7855 or see ohiovalleyantiques.com.

Bonus trip to Springfield for antique finds

Springfield, which is about 80 minutes from Cincinnati and 40 minutes from Columbus, boasts several large antique centers.

● Heart of Ohio Antique Center in Springfield, owned by Vivalyn and the late Bruce Knight for 25 years, is now owned by Jacob, Josh and Mike Berner. Martha Stewart Living Magazine rated the massive business, which has eight buildings, “one of America’s best resources for antiques.”

Antiques at Heart of Ohio, known as the country’s largest indoor antique mall, span 122,000 square feet. The business, located at 4785 E. National Road, offers more than 800 vendors from 37 states and Canada.

Heart of Ohio is open 362 days a year from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s not unusual for shoppers to spend six or seven hours at this huge antique center. They can take a break at Mojo’s Cafe, which offers sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts.

For more information, see heartofohioantiques.com or call 937-324-2188.

● The family-owned Springfield Antique Center, open since 1994, is recognizable by its big, red roof off of Interstate 70 at exit 59. Shoppers can explore 75,000 square feet of sale space for furniture, primitives, pottery, glass, coins, jewelry, advertising, soda pop, gas and oil, architectural, dolls, toys, comic books, military, books, clothing and more. A lobby also offers couches, television and vending for tired travelers.

Springfield Antique Center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 362 days a year at 1735 Titus Road. See springfieldantique.com or call 937-322-8868 or 937-324-8448.

● Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market, which has gone on for more than 40 years, is held nine times each year at the Clark County Fairgrounds, including semiannual extravaganzas in May and September featuring more than 2,000 vendors. The event features antiques as well as vintage and flea market finds.

The next shows are indoors at 4401 S. Charleston Pike, Springfield, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 19. See jenkinsandco.com/springfield-antique-show for more information, or call 937-325-0053.

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or [email protected].