Attic Antiques

Walking through the door of Attic Antiques spurs on memories of a by-gone era. Every piece of furniture, quilt or small trinket holds the story of its previous owner.

For Attic Antique owners Barbara and Howard “Buzz” Manning, the store holds 47 years of memories of running a business together.

In their early-married years, the couple would refinish items together as a hobby.

“As a couple, you like to do things together, and [antiquing] is something that we both enjoy,” Barbara said.

Between Buzz’s affinity for refinishing goods and Barbara’s keen eye for a good find, their hobby turned into a business in 1977 when the family began to build their 3,000-square-foot store, located on Highway 119 next to Oak Mountain Elementary School.

“We just loved it so we incorporated it into our lives,” Manning said. After Buzz, an engineer by trade, designed the store, the Manning family worked together to build the establishment complete with hardwood floors and exposed beams.

Manning designed the store to look like a home so customers can envision the piece in their own home.

Attic Antiques specializes in American antiques, specifically furniture made of cherry, walnut and pine. The store carries antique quilts and lighting in addition to other treasures that Barbara pictures going into a lodge or waterfront home or even incorporating into a modern design.

“You can use one piece in so many different ways. That’s what’s wonderful about antiques,” Barbara said.

A member of the Alabama Antique Trail, Attic Antiques often hosts out-of-town visitors from from Tennessee to Tuscaloosa. Once customers hear about Attic Antique’s wide array of everything from corner cupboards to small gifts, they can’t help but stop by for a visit.

Barbara said that customers are drawn to the unique goods that she sells.

“We try to get things that are real unusual. Instead of getting 20 of one thing, I get a variety. That’s what keeps them coming back, they want something that is different.”