It’s the thrill of the hunt for one-of-a-kind items that keeps pickers and collectors coming back to Country Shoppes of Culpeper, a 17,000-square-foot antiques mall celebrating 30 years in business this weekend.
An estimated 125 vendors from around Virginia, a few there from the beginning, offer beautifully arranged merchandise in the sprawling, female-owned establishment along James Monroe Highway, southwest of town, on the northbound side of U.S. Route 29. The store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. It is closed on Mondays.
There really is something for everyone — housewares, furniture, collectibles, jewelry, Civil War items, vinyl albums, new primitive, authentic primitive, military, décor, glass products, art, brand names, dolls, vintage toys, vintage clothing, teacups and much more.
The local business anniversary story is rooted in taking a chance followed by years of hard work as a team.
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It was the late 1980s when Country Shoppes owner Lois Alperstein first heard about the potential real estate investment in Culpeper County. She was living along the beltway in Maryland raising three kids younger than five, with her husband, political economist Dr. Leslie Alperstein, CEO of Washington Analysis.
Lois, from New Jersey, met Les, from Maryland, working on Wall Street and the two later married and raised their family in Potomac. She holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and is deeply committed to philanthropy. Lois Alperstein had never heard of Culpeper when a real estate agent friend told them about the property that would become Country Shoppes.
“He said, ‘I got this great piece of property producing income in Culpeper right on 29, you’ll always have a tenant.’ It was Gallahan Furniture, that was the family that owned the buildings and the property, two lots,” Alperstein said in a recent interview. “This Butler building, plus the brick building, which the Baptist Church is in,” she said of her current tenant next door.
Her husband drove to Culpeper to check it out and did the deal. She was busy with the kids and had all but given up her “book of business in finance,” Alperstein said. But when a tenant did not materialize, they started looking at another option — going into business for themselves — in 1994.
“My husband drove around Culpeper, saw that there were other collectibles stores and talked to some of those people who have an antique mall and came back and said, ‘I think it’s a great idea to put in the building, we should do this,’ and I said, OK,” she said. “I can’t believe it’s been 30 years.”
Her husband, Dr. Leslie Alperstein, a Ph.D., passed away two years ago. Lois Alperstein said they were together 43 years.
“I was very lucky. His favorite time here was our Christmas open house. A local choral group would come and he loved music and he loved to sing with the chorus,” she said.
It feels really good to reach three decades in business, Alperstein said.
“Now that I’m single, people think I don’t have as much intellect, my friends back home, they’re like, you still have that business, and I’m like yeah, why wouldn’t I have this business? We’re about to celebrate our 30th anniversary and my vendors are still making money and I have a tenant on my property.”
Country Shoppes still holds its holiday open house and a spring event. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, April 20, will be the biggest event they’ve ever had for the big anniversary, Alperstein said.
Participating will be food trucks from Catch the Chef, Yoder’s Dutch Delights and Goat & Guinea Coffee. Appraiser Sarah Hays, from Quail at the Wood, will do valuations and there will also be craft demonstrations throughout the day by three vendors, giveaways, door prizes and raffles.
“It’s very exciting. It’s a big deal, and Culpeper has changed over the 30 years, my goodness. It’s incredible. And the people I’ve met, the wonderful vendors,” said Alperstein. “I made lifelong more than acquaintances, they’re just good people, good people down here.”
Alperstein always loved collecting things — Roseville pottery, smalls, pink glass — and has a booth in the front at Country Shoppes.
“Stuff I’m trying to sell now because I’m trying to downsize my life,” she said, though not completely. “I have a winter home, what did I take? I took my blue Roseville because it makes it feel like home, close to my heart.”
Cashier Connie Marks, of Culpeper, has been with Country Shoppes for 25 years and is also a vendor, selling mostly vintage Christmas items.
“I think we’ve always had a good crew of people, employees — we all get along fine. We all like our customers, have really good dealers, a lot we get to really know,” she said. “I enjoy talking to people, customers that come in. It’s such a mixed bag of what people come looking for.”
Some people collect hedgehogs, beer items, small metal signs, lighted signs, said Marks. They sell a lot of furniture and jewelry, she added, commenting on the 30-year anniversary.
“I think it’s great and it’s really evolved since it’s early beginnings,” she said. “We have fair prices, some high-end, but mostly nice balanced where you can manage for the average person.”
Marks has collected handmade dollhouse miniatures since she was 12.
“I never escaped it,” she said of collecting. As for selling, “Last year was one of my best years ever here.”
Alperstein has employed various managers over the years, and currently has two co-managers, including Hans Gertl, of Culpeper. He’s also a vendor who has had a booth at Country Shoppes for many years.
“I love working here. Lois is a very good boss — we work together,” Gertl said, expanding upon his merchandise. “I have graduated up and moved to many different booths. I first sold mid-century modern, and am now selling old vintage antique look and doing quite well for me.”
Certain items sell well in this area, he said, adding the shop attracts many “pickers” from NOVA, Richmond and Charlottesville seeking items to resell at higher prices in their shops.
“I know them by name, and it’s always nice to see them again,” said Gertl, originally from Charlottesville. He ran a restaurant, worked in real estate and moved away for a while before the Blue Ridge called him back to the area and Country Shoppes of Culpeper.
“I really like love the vintage things, appreciate all of it.”
What makes Country Shoppes stand apart from other antique malls?
“We have a great clientele, great employees that love people, great music — 50s CD music — people love to reminisce,” Gertl said.
“It’s like a gathering place.”
The store is on Facebook at Country Shoppes of Culpeper and Instagram at Culpeper Shoppes Antiques.
Alperstein said, and her employees agreed, that the store has had some of its best months ever, sales-wise, this past year. There were also tough times during the pandemic.
“We survived,” she said.
Alperstein gave some rent abatement to her vendors when the business dried up during COVID-19 and followed science with a mask mandate in the store. She won a small grant from the town’s Culpeper Cares program.
“I took care of business, did what I needed to do,” Alperstein said. “If I needed a PPP loan, I did it, and I took care of the vendors as best I could.”
She recalled learning she had been selected for Culpeper Cares at home.
“I remember screaming at the top of my lungs,” Alperstein said. “I applied for a small grant and I got it. It had to do with my rent. I was stunned. Everything helped to keep us going and, like I said, 30 years.”
“The most important things here is that the community has supported us. If you would have told me we would have survived a pandemic and still be in business — I am stunned — it’s because of the community, it’s because of Culpeper Cares, it’s because we give back to the community, too.”
Country Shoppes keeps a collection bin at the front of the store to generate donations for the food bank, churches and seniors, who they also collect for around the holidays on a mittens and hat tree.
In addition to giving back locally, Alperstein is on the board of the Children’s Inn at The National Institute of Health, where her critically ill son received treatment before dying as a 10-year-old, 22 years ago.
The inn takes in, feeds, educates and nurtures families of sick children with rare diseases from all over the world, meaningful work Alperstein said she gets to do as a member of the board leading a $52 million capital campaign to renovate and expand the Children’s Inn.
It’s like the nicest way to give back,” Alperstein said. “You feel empowered, that I could help and get to meet other families that went through similar things I went through. I believe in giving back as part of life and being a good citizen.”
Karen Windland, of Culpeper, has been a Country Shoppes vendor for two years and a customer from the beginning.
“Antiquing, I just love it, I love to collect things, I am definitely not a minimalist,” she said, laughing. “It was just something I’ve always done. My grandmother always kept things and so I liked old things. My dad also had old antiques around.”
Windland’s husband has a separate booth next to hers at Country Shoppes.
“That’s what we do for entertainment,” she said. “We don’t drink or smoke, we go antiquing, we spend our money going thrifting. Yesterday we were across the mountain picking up auction stuff, that’s what we do for fun.”
What she picks eventually ends up in the booth.
“I will keep it for a while and then eventually I’m like, I’m ready to part with it. I’ll give it to the booth so I’m not a hoarder,” said Windland.
On the anniversary, she said it’s great for any business nowadays to stay open for 30 years.
“The management is great, but also the vendors are so supportive. I’ve made friends. I worked at the hospital in human resources for many years. This is my keep-me-busy,” she said.
The store has never looked better and the quality of its merchandise has improved over the years, more higher-end things, said Alperstein. They are also seeing an increase in people with more disposable income.
“The prices are exceptional. The staff is welcoming, warm and helpful and knowledgeable. And it’s like a little family. The Country Shoppes family, and I think people embrace that,” she said.