A walk through the past

I knew I would love this Grantville store before I ever visited. (A couple of years back it was a feature in Newnan-Coweta Magazine and I always meant to go but never made the time.) I couldn't wait to see it and take a nostalgic walk through the past. The store is named Reuse the Past and the goal of the Palmer's of Grantville is to reuse and restore things that would normally be destroyed.

Palmer salvages and sells things he finds from old homes that are being demolished to make way for new things. Talking to him, you can tell he is on a mission. He feels it is a shame to trash all these vintage items. It is also enjoyable to hear him talk about the history of all the old objects.

The building itself is an old hosiery mill that is filled to the brink with all kinds of things that are waiting to be restored or re purposed. Today I want to take you on a pictorial tour.

Outside there was huge prickly pear cactus. Most don't know that the fruit, growing nicely on this cactus, makes tasty jelly. Mr. Palmer offered me a cutting and I thought about taking him up on the offer but, cactus and I just don't get along. If I go anywhere near a cactus, the thorns seem to jump out and attack me. It is uncanny.

There are so many things that can be reused, like these old doorknobs.

If you go, don't wear your nicest clothes because you may need to dig a bit to come up with what you need.

There are frames, signs and old light fixtures.

And great windows and old shutters. These windows are really wonderful.

Many of the old, solid wooden doors are from local demolitions.

Old fireplace mantels, molding and wood are stacked everywhere.

Old stained glass, dishes and piles of windows line one side of the building.

Spindles and spools that may be from the old hosiery mill.

There were photos and mementos from old Newnan homes.

Old tiles with examples of how they can be reused.

Palmer also collects pottery from Georgia and Alabama.

Can you see why this is my favorite place in Grantville?