Back to the basics at Braxton’s

Braxton Roberts III and his son, Braxton Roberts IV, are reopening the antique store aspect of their business, Braxton’s, located in downtown Loganville at the corner of Main Street and Highway 78. Photo credit: Stephen Milligan – The Walton Tribune

The brainchild of the younger Braxton, the revived antique store will join the business’ existing auction operation and other retail offerings as their latest venture into the Loganville economy.

Braxton Roberts III and his son, Braxton Roberts IV, are reopening the antique store aspect of their business, Braxton’s, located in downtown Loganville at the corner of Main Street and Highway 78. The brainchild of the younger Braxton, the revived antique store will join the business’ existing auction operation and other retail offerings as their latest venture into the Loganville economy.

Braxton Roberts IV feels a bit connected to his family’s long moribund antique business, which is rising from the ashes in a burst of phoenix flame glory this month. After all, they were born at nearly the same time.

While Braxton’s, the long-established store in downtown Loganville, has been open for the past 37 years, selling clocks and trading in gold for all that time, it offered antiques at one time, first opening the antique mall part of the business in 1996, the same year Braxton IV was born. But after a few years in the antique business, a downturn in the economy saw the store shut down the antique mall and transition into auctions.

Now, however, with other antique stores in the city no longer open, Roberts saw an opportunity to jump back into the marketplace and get a bit of the ever-popular trade.

“Something like 70 percent of the antique shoppers headed to the many antique stores in Monroe are from Gwinnett,” Roberts said. “They all have to pass us to get there. So why not let them shop here, too?”

So Roberts has taken the lead on this project, recruiting vendors who have been setting up booths of antiques, knick knacks and other items for sale in preparation for the grand opening on Feb. 4.

“It’s not just about antiques, really,” Roberts said. “We’re really focusing on furniture, home decor and
more. Young people can come in and find things to fill their homes and put their stamp on where they live.”

The antique wing of Braxton’s had a ribbon cutting on Feb. 3 and will be open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’re excited about it,” Roberts said “I think the demand is there. It’s some thing different.”