Welcome to another installment of Around Town! This time, I will take you on a journey through The Picker Knows. Opened in 2012, The Picker Knows is an antique store located in West Des Moines just off Grand Avenue. This “grand” store is hulking in its size and selection, housing more than 200 individual vendors. While there, I spoke to one of the co-owners, Dave Bush. Dave said that before buying the store he was not big into antiquing. His son made him and his wife Vicki familiar with The Picker Knows and they decided to buy it from the owner. Dave and his wife became antiquers because of the purchase. Now, Dave says, “His house is full.”
The Picker Knows has a wide variety of antiques to sell. As I browsed the aisles with a pumpkin spice chai in my hand, I saw furniture, clothes, and smaller paraphernalia. There are ceramics, comics, CDs, vinyls, video games and consoles, jewelry, toys, taxidermy and so much more. Currently, Dave says that mid-century home decor is probably the most popular category of antiques being sold. There are also many vinyl records, with the recent revival of interest in them, and many seasonal vendors for the upcoming holidays. Whether you’re looking for something centuries old or just a few decades old, The Picker Knows has something for you. There are items to fuel your hobbies, expand your collections, or start a new interest. Even if you’re not an “antiquer,” there is a great chance that The Picker Knows will have something for you.