There aren't signs proclaiming East Grant Road from Campbell Avenue to Swan Road as Tucson's "Antique Alley," but it isn't hard to notice all the shops.
On the western edge, there's Bookman's Used Books, Music & Software, 1930 E. Grant Road. In addition to everything in its title, the store buys and sells odds and ends such as dishware, picture frames and figurines.
Heading east, there's Lone Prairie Pawn & Jewelry, 2880 E. Grant Road.
"Ooh, Daddy found him a pretty toy," says a customer, cradling a bright red Rogue bass guitar.
Scattered among the usual pawnshop fare at Lone Prairie - TVs, stereos, musical instruments, power tools - are collectible gems including three mint-condition framed Rex Allen movie posters.
"Nobody's ever asked about them," the cashier says.
He figures they might go for, oh, about $10 apiece, before store owner Jack V. Cole interjects that they are original posters on consignment from a lawyer and tagged at $100 each.
In the next block, the red-painted Designers Craft shop, 3006 E. Grant Road, heralds a cluster of shops.
Designers Craft features furniture and architectural artifacts from old homes in India. Owner Michael Midkiff was drawn to India architecture as a teenager living in the foothills of the Himalayas.
"The architectural items are salvaged from old homes and palaces that have been demolished for urban renewal or by earthquakes," says Midkiff, who specializes in Haveli architecture prominent in the Indian state of Gujurat.
Glass doorknobs are $6 a set, a Dutch colonial chest circa 1860 is $2,900, a Portuguese colonial tea table circa 1810 is $1,225 and huge teak pillars circa 1900 are $2,950.
Next door, The Antique Presidio, 3024 E. Grant Road, is packed with thousands of antiques, collectibles and stuff from dealers.
The merchandise includes a Shirley Temple hand fan ($55), a tube of Barbasol shaving creme ($18) and a Bally pinball table hidden under sundry items (price not listed).
Steps away is Furniture Outlet, 3030 E. Grant Road. Tucked among contemporary furniture including bedboards, dressers and desks are odd items such as a "Hot Lips" couch in the shape of two red lips, with matching heart-shaped cushions, on consignment ($499), two antique three-drawer night stands ($29 each) and a Bugs Bunny phone ($25).
Around the corner on Country Club are three shops, headed by Tumbling Tumbleweeds, 2319 N. Country Club.
Sisters Ellen Haskell and Karen Grimm own and run the shop with help from their mother, Ellen Kirtcher, a longtime antiques dealer.
Here you can find a 15th-century country French buffet ($7,900), a John Wayne etching ($18), a roomful of religious icons and crystal chandeliers galore.
Back on Grant and heading east, you find American Antique Mall, 3130 E. Grant, which features more than 100 dealers with such diverse items as a Charlie McCarthy spoon ($15), a 1983 David Bowie concert ticket ($9), a 1900-era oak stepback cupboard ($1,499) and steins of all kinds.
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