Leftovers Antiques began in 2003 with co-owners Ed Fulkerson and Michael Breddin both realizing they shared a love of antiques from an early age. Their 17,000-SF store, located just west of Brenham, Texas, on Highway 290, officially opened in 2006. Ed and Michael travel extensively around the world in order to bring a unique mix of quality antiques, home accessories and gift items back to the store.
“Being in the antique business, inspiration can come from many places or from seeing many things but you have to have a passion within yourself,” Michael says.
“It is not only the mystery of the origins that we find exciting, but the treasures themselves as well. Every day is like an adventure when we are traveling and hunting for whatever might catch our fancy or from something that we are hunting for in particular. We do not just travel the main pathways. One of the most exciting things that we love about what we do is being able to explore the backcountry of Europe. Whether it is following the little old man that we just met in a pub to his barn in the South of England or following the “tip” of a friend of a friend of a friend in France, it is like having the thrill of the chase inside you all of the time. When you find amazing sights and things around every corner it is not hard to maintain a passion for the antique business.”
When Round Top comes ’round again, Michael says, “I find it hard to believe that I have been a vendor at these shows for 25 years. Time flies when you are having fun,” Michael says. “It is my passion for all things old and interesting that brings me back to Round Top year after year, show after show.”
Speaking as one of the vendors fortunate enough to be able to be part of the Market Hill experience, I would have to say that it is a relief to know that my booth and all of my inventory are protected from the elements and in a location that is conveniently located right off of the road to Round Top. We have had so many compliments about not just the location but the building itself. Many of our customers and clients are relieved to be in a venue that has air conditioning, solid flooring and is easy to navigate through. They also love the fact that the Market Hill venue has plenty of parking, clean restrooms and a fabulous restaurant. All of those qualities are a huge draw for fans of antiques as well as hunters of unique finds.”
When asked to share what special finds they are bringing to this show, Michael says, “It is not just one piece that we are excited about, it is the overall collection. It is about all of the pieces in the six containers that we have arriving for the show. Our excitement does not come from one project but from what we continue to create through our ever-evolving store and shows. It is about the next new thing or rather the next old thing that we find. We look for charming pieces that will steal your heart. We have traveled to many countries all over Europe to incredible antique markets, as well as amazing gift markets across the U.S. Every piece has a story, a history, and we want to continue to weave that story into the lives of our customers and clients. That is what Leftovers Antiques is all about, ‘leftovers from prior generations’ pieces whose story is added to by our lives. It is about carrying on the history, the provenance, and the memoirs of each piece through our age and into the future.”
To learn more about their story, visit Leftoversantiques.com.