Mount Vernon Antique Center Celebrates Spring Open House

With the grill on and furniture displays out, Mount Vernon Antique Center celebrated its second annual spring open house on Saturday. The event included free appraisals, a book signing, raffles and refreshments.

The multi-dealer mall located on Route 1 houses 26 dealers and offers a wide range of items from furniture to World War II memorabilia. 

“Right now what’s hot is mid-century furniture,” said Sam Nasafi, manager and owner of Mount Vernon Antique Center.  “Danish vintage [furniture], a lot of teak, rosewood, walnut; that’s what people are looking for right now.”

Furniture is precisely what Mount Vernon resident Laura Odell looks for.  While traveling in France, Odell came across a hand carved, rosewood full-sized bed but was unable to buy it due to the hassle of shipping the item overseas. When she returned to the States, she found a similar piece at Mount Vernon Antique Center.

“I like this particular store because you get the combination of [a] hometown kind of store, but yet the antiques are from all over the world if you look at them,” Odell said.

Other bestsellers? Ashtrays.

“I specialize in ashtrays; I have about 200 of them,” said Ray Staffieri, a dealer at Mount Vernon Antique Center. 

Barbara Cousens, author of “My Alexandria Tales” was on site to sign copies of her book, which relates her experience relocating from South Africa to Old Town Alexandria with her two dogs.