Shop highlight: Astero Old Things

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Almost everyday, we would pass Astero Old Things, a little shop with all kinds of trinkets and antiques, on our way from our hotel. On our last day we stopped in and met the owner, Mihalis Hatzis and he was kind enough to show us around his shop and a few of his treasures. Every winter, Mihalis travels around Rhodes island and collects all kinds of goods from the townsfolk. He then spends some time polishing the bronze, copper, gold or whatever else it may be and puts it up for sale. Many of the things he sells have been in Greek family homes for several generations. We found out he's been doing this for 37 years. Every piece he picked up had a story and we had a great time browsing and letting him show us around. He also took us into his workshop next door, where he had even more trinkets, hanging from the ceiling, on every bench and all over the floor. In the workshop, the stuff was grimy and dark because it hadn't been cleaned yet. The light came from a couple of bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling and the place looked like a dungeon. We watched Mihalis buff and shine a bronze ring for Julia with his machinery.

It was hard not to buy anything from Mihalis, there were so many great things that would have looked very nice in our home but the fact that we have to lug it around for another 4-5 months made us think again. If you're ever in Rhodes, in the Old Town, we highly recommend you stop by and take a look. If you have a chance to meet Mihalis, you'll be in for a treat. He will show you his workshop and tell you a little more about some of his treasure.

His shop is right off of Sokratous in the Old Town. The address is Ayiou Fanouriou 4.

-Yuriy

The store:

The workshop:

12 comments :

  1. that little shop looks absolutely perfect...just my type - everything has a story.

    i imagine that would be the hardest part of doing a RTW or going on an extended trip...wanting to buy all the amazing stuff i'd find in little shops like this - i'd probably be sending home a box month!

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  2. Just a thought: I have no idea how expensive this would be but you guys could mail things to a family memeber back home in the States for safe keeping until you return. It'll allow you to buy things you'd like for your home and keep your load light while you travel...

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  3. I would so buy that Eastern cross.

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  4. what a wonderful shop a treasure trove, there are so many interesting looking things in such a small space. Thankyou for sharing your journey and all that beauty with us armchair travellers.

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  5. Kay and Anna... we thought of sending boxes home but decided we'd rather travel longer than shop. So we're saving shopping for our future (shorter) trips. I can't say it's easy (this is Julia, btw... I don't think Yuriy is bothered much by it). Thanks for the ideas, though!

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  6. This place looks like it would surely be a vintage lover's haven.

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  7. how did you get from greek islands to turkey?

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  8. I am loving that blue-eyed owl just staring at you! I would have loved to get lost in this shop for a while.....

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  9. Anonymous- There is a ferry that goes from Rhodes to Turkey... unfortunately it was all full on the day we wanted to leave! So we took a ferry from Rhodes to Cos (another Greek island), spent a night, and the next day took another ferry from Cos to Bodrum, Turkey. In the summertime, the ferries to Turkey run every day.

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  10. Amaaaaazing! I would have so much fun looking around in there and hearing all the stories of all the unique old things. I just love that sort of thing!!!

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