Scott Antique Markets

Nice antique market in the Ohio expo center. There were a lot of vendors with plenty of stuff. We had a good time and found a few things to buy.

I love going to Scott Antique Market. You pay $5 per person to get in for the weekend and you can come back multiple times during that time. If you look on their website, you can also find a coupon for $1 off. You need a coupon for each person. Most designers go on Thursday in order to have the best selection. But many dealers hold firm to their prices on Thursday. By Sunday, there can be some room to negotiate because often dealers don't want to pack up their stuff again. Make sure you go to both buildings. They are on opposite sides of the exit. There are also great finds in the outdoor area. What I love most about Scotts is that I can often find some unique items that stand out. If you see something you love, buy it quickly because it may be gone before you come back to it.

The Scott Antique Market is a cavernous indoor antique show held at the Expo center once a month from November to March. More than 800 dealers are on hand peddling their wares, which ranges from stuff that looks like it was pulled from Grandma's attic to very nice, high end furniture--- and everything in between. Among the finer antiques I've come across are vintage gold and silver jewelry, old pottery and ceramics, hand blown glassware, and all sorts of indoor furniture and decor. I've attended the Scott Antique Market quite a few times, never shopping for anything specific, but always leaving with more than I need. The shows take place regular business hours on Saturday and Sunday and, while admission is free, the Ohio Expo charges a daily or weekend parking fee.

The Scott Antique Market comes to Columbus regularly, (Ohio) the show is held monthly November through March at the Ohio Expo Center. The place is huge like a British Show Ground. Big barn type buildings. These shows are an antique dealer or collectors paradise with over 800 vendor booths in Columbus offering the finest selection of investment quality antiques in the country. You can find a selection of gold, silver, jewelry, antique pottery, glassware, furniture, and so much more at the Scott Antique Market. This is what makes the shows a can't miss event for any dealer or collector. The Scott Antique Markets are supposedly the largest indoor antique shows in the world although Newark UK is pretty big so not sure. I went here with a friend who owned an antique shop in Lithopolis, Ohio. She and I browsed and she would ask my advice or I would find something yummy and run to her to see it (I did do antique dealing myself once and have a decent eye..used to buy for her in UK too).One thing I noticed were that the stallholders were not great at descriptions..2 or 3 showed me furniture they said was English and to me it definately Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch..too dark and heavy for English pieces. A good half day out. Baragains to be had but beware those descriptions..they could be wrong.

I love the Scott Antique Market. It only happens a few times a year so don't sleep in! Get up. Get in. Get digging. It is a must if you like to wander around, dig through odds and ends. It is also a must if you have a loved one that is impossible to shop for. FactsParking is $5. Admission is free. They have a sometimes functioning ATM. The food is on that fair food level and expensive. The antique show runs on saturdays and sundays. Here are my tips; 1). Make sure to bring a pencil and paper to write down the location of items you may go back and look at. There are 15-20 aisles and it is easy to forget where that jeweled jaguar bracelet went to. 2). If you go on Sunday numerous dealers will start to pack up shortly after noon. 3). Be aware of the weather. If there is some bad weather on the way dealers will be packing even earlier.

This market is held November thru March. Admission is free but parking is $5. Bring cash, always barter because what's on the tag is just a starting number (if you don't fancy yourself strong in this area just say "is what's marked the best you can do?" and I haven't seen a person yet charge full price or say no), bring a big recyclable bag or a little cart if you have one because some people don't have bags and most importantly, if you see it, BUY IT! There is no guarantee when you make your second go round that the item you've mentally tagged as yours will be there. We hem hauled today and got a cute item sold during our indecision. Finally, do not come hungry. ANYONE selling food there there to financially violate your wallet. $5 for a lemonade, $6 for cotton candy that wasn't marked and while good, it costs $.05 to make and $6 for 4 small pieces of candy and a square of fudge from Buckeye Candy that wasn't even that great. Eat heartily before you come.

Yes, you have seen the commercials on TV, probably heard them on the radio, and have seen signs and advertisements, so why haven't you went yet?This set up is great and the vendors here are usually top notch without being over the top and expensive. The vendors at Scotts tend to cater close to every thinkable genre you'd see in local Antique malls. It's a really rough day if I don't come out of here with something, because there is so much to see. I have bought everything from old 1920's film magazines, knick knacks... to framed pictures to even a costume jewelry necklace for my wedding. The key is to come early to find the good items vendors are just putting out. You wouldn't show up to an auction late.... right, or to a flea market later in the day when they open in the morning? It's just a good idea to be early.. otherwise you may miss out on something that the other hundreds of people before you have seen. Also...barter with these folks if there's something your heart desires, but you just don't want the dish out full price. Most of these vendors are antique store dealers... and many will work with you provided you are also being fair. Now.. what are you waiting for!? Stop by next time!

I would take all the "go early" recommendations with a big grain of salt. At most shows of this type if you don't go early, you miss the good stuff. But the last three times I went to this show a full third of the dealer tables were covered up. I'm not sure why sleeping in was prioritized over being at their booths at opening time, but that seemed to be the case for far too many. The picture posted here of what it looks like in the afternoon is what it looks like at opening too.I am tempted to go again this year to see if things have improved but the last several time I tried this show the only thing I ended up buying was parking ($5.00) and the show had been condensed down to a single building, and that building was no where near full. Then taking out how many booths were closed, its hard to get motivated enough to give it another shot._______________________________Update 12/16/2015: I gave way to my temptation but found the show to be much more disappointing than years past. 90% of what is here is flea market, not antique market, quality. Much of the merchandise has been poorly treated, is dirty, musty, and damaged, and is not of collectible quality. I pretty much decided I've had it with this show when I was at the booth of a large toy/collectible dealer who was grumbling in front of me and at least one other customer with another dealer about how terrible Columbus customers were, that they don't buy and only want something for nothing. As a side note, the restrooms in the Brinker Building are beyond repugnant, even just after opening time on day one. The stench is so bad you can smell it outside the restrooms. There is no way these facilities has been cleaned for weeks, if not months.

I'm a professional dealer and auctioneer. Headed to the show with a wad of cash and ready to buy today. Had other commitments in the morning. Despite being advertised as open until 5 pm, I'd say probably half or more of the dealers were closed for the day by 3:45. Dealers aren't supposed to do this. Either Scott's management is intimidated by dealers, doesn't care about the customer experience or just plain doesn't pay attention to what's going on out on the floor. Regardless - when I head in and the place is basically closed well before the official closing time, it paints a pretty bad picture and doesn't make for a good buying experience. It also negatively impacts other dealers. Otherwise a nice show with lots of dealers.

There's a few rules about places this big. Firstly, you really want to not forget where things are, so if you can mark it on your phone, do that. Otherwise write it down. Secondly, bring your own food. Seriously. The food here is AWFUL and overpriced and disgusting and bad for you. A bag of trail mix will do a girl good.Thirdly, Limiting yourself is never a bad idea. Fourthly, bring cash.Fifthly, don't bring little children, for all of our sakes and sanity. Sixthly, bring a friend. It's not only good to have someone to show something outrageous to and to have someone to talk you out of buying that ceramic grayhound lamp.