I am told there are no young people interested in antiques.

As an antique dealer at White Water Antiques I am often lectured by fellow dealers on what they call the reality that there are no young people in the business and no new young customers coming into the mix.

I have been told this even when my son, who deals in antique lighting restoration, and other young dealers are in the same booth with me. Dealers will assure me that no young customers are interested even when young people are walking by with purchases in hand.

The picture I provided was at Brimfield this past year. The dealers across from us deal in upscale vintage watches and jewelry and do some sophisticated high-end shows. They range in age from 25 to 28. So why do other dealers not see these men as well as other young people?

What young people, millenniums if you will, are not buying is 18th century brown furniture. They may walk by a booth filled with 1790 chairs from Philadelphia. There wants, and interests are different than past shoppers which is why perhaps that older dealers either ignore them or don’t see them.

These young customers and dealers do not necessarily want to be tutored in “what they should be buying”. Their interests run a wide gambit from mid-century vintage to 1970’s technology toys. If we as dealers want to remain responsive to new opportunity, then we need to ask them questions and inquire about those interests. Millenniums are not doing it wrong, they are doing it differently.

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