Destination: McGuireville, Sedona, Cottonwood

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My sister, Phyllis Cypert, recently moved to the Phoenix area from California and the two of us are now having the fun and adventure of exploring Arizona together. It’s mostly all new to Phyllis and, after living here for 32 years, I’m enjoying a fresh perspective through Phyllis’s eyes as she discovers the state’s unique diversity and wonderful history that I’ve taken for granted for far too long.

We’ve set up a bucket list of places we want to visit during our trips around the state. And it helps that we have the perfect destination planner right at our fingertips—The Antique Register. After all, visiting our advertising shops is one of the best parts of my job as publisher!

Our first day trip was north to the always-lovely Verde Valley. We planned a busy full day but knew we could get it all in. It was one of those perfect Arizona spring days and the shops were bustling with activity.

Our first stop was Historic McGuireville where we visited two of our advertisers—Candy’s Creekside Cottage and Jim’s Trading Post—to see what was new and take some photos. Both Candy’s and Jim’s have so much to explore inside their shops and in their large outdoor areas. (Check out the separate article on McGuireville.) In addition, Phyllis and I found two newly opened shops, Second Time Around and Anything Goes Hay & Tack, which has collectibles in the back room, so don’t let the name fool you.

A short scenic drive brought us to Sedona and Cobblestone Antiques in the heart of the Village of Oak Creek. This beautiful store has a charming style and ambiance. With a nice mix of antiques, collectibles, home décor and locally made art, Cobblestone has many unique items. We enjoyed looking through the more than 37 dealers’ booths and were impressed with the nicely displayed vast inventory. Located at 6623 State Route 179, Ste B, in the Sedona Factory Outlet, Cobblestone is easy to access right on the main route. You will want to make this shop a must see on your next visit to Sedona.

Cottonwood was our final destination and, of course, we had to stop along the way to take some photos of the gorgeous Red Rocks. The spectacular drive through Sedona to Cottonwood is truly breathtaking.

Old Town Cottonwood has become a prime destination for many visitors. The Main Street is lined with shops and restaurants, there is plenty of parking and the walk is reminiscent of a time before mega-malls were built when shopping downtown was a whole day’s fun excursion. It is a great spot to shop and eat.

Our first stop in Old Town was A Checkered Past and we enjoyed browsing through this unique antique and collectible mall. Behind the counter were two rows of cameras that I was intrigued with and Phyllis saw a set of nutcrackers neatly displayed that appealed to her. I was impressed by the number of kitchen collectibles on display and found a cookie cutter shaped like a boot to add to my collection at home. A Checkered Past is located at 907 N. Main Street.

Next, we walked to Papillon 2. It was like a step back in time to visit this lovely shop where you first see a large selection of vintage clothing and jewelry along with furniture and gift items. In the rear of the store are more furniture, vintage linens and kitchen collectibles. We both were drawn to the vintage hats on display, from top hats to cute little pillboxes, and agreed each could have been worn on a shopping trip down Main Street, back in the day. Papillon 2 is located at 1004 N. Main Street and has a sister store called Papillon Antiques, located at 107 Main Street in Jerome.

We stopped at Cat’s Meow in its new location at 926 N. Main Street. The sign outside this very cute shop says “The Fun Starts Here,” which describes perfectly what we found inside. An eclectic mix of antiques and gifts items makes this a great shop to find something for everyone on your gift list. My favorite item was the pink carousal horse complete with a pink umbrella that would appeal to any girl, young or old.

Our last stop for the day was at Larry’s Antiques at the end of Main Street. Since Larry’s covers two acres, we would have needed a whole day to see all the treasurers that are offered. The main building is full of items from furniture to small collectibles and the large building in the yard holds large pieces of furniture, machinery and vintage appliances. The yard area has a covered wagon, gas pumps, garden art—and the list goes on and on. Located at 796 N Main Street, Larry’s Antiques is a one-of-a-kind store so allow yourself plenty of time to explore.

Phyllis and I drove home sharing our favorite memories of the day and wishing we had more time to explore each shop! Plan your own day or weekend trip to the Verde Valley soon—shop owners are happy to recommend lodging, restaurants or local sites to visit while in their area. Take your copy of The Antique Register with you as you travel and be sure to tell the shop owners that we sent you their way.

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