Introduction
Rare Bird Antiques is a 50-vendor antique mall in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, housed in the former 1950s Dorris-Swift Grocery building at 212 South Main Street. The mall spans more than 10,000 square feet and stocks vintage furniture, stoneware, Depression glass, folk art, estate jewelry, and bird-themed collectibles across curated dealer booths.
Rare Bird Antiques sits 12 miles north of downtown Nashville via I-65, a 15 to 20 minute drive, making it one of the closest large antique malls to the city for shoppers searching for antique stores near Goodlettsville.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Address | 212 S Main St, Goodlettsville, TN 37072 |
| Hours | Mon–Sat: 10 AM–5 PM · Sun: 1 PM–5 PM |
| Vendor count | 50+ independent dealers |
| Store size | 10,000+ square feet |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Free lot beside the building, plus street parking on Main Street |
| Phone | (615) 851-2635 |
| Website | rarebirdantiques.com |
| Year established | 1996 |
What Rare Bird Antiques Stocks
Rare Bird Antiques organizes its 50+ dealer booths around four core categories, with weekly restocking that keeps inventory current.
• Vintage furniture and home décor: farmhouse, French, industrial, and mid-century modern pieces, including oak tables, walnut dressers, primitive benches, and occasional Baker mid-century modern furniture.
• Glassware, ceramics, and estate art: Depression glass, stoneware crocks, ironstone, Staffordshire, cloisonné, and estate paintings including portraits, florals, and landscapes.
• Bird-themed collectibles: pie birds, Audubon prints, carved folk-art birds, and porcelain bird figurines, curated in part by co-owner Lori Hanks.
• Gift shop finds and vintage oddities: vintage toys, automobilia, advertising signs, WWII-era pieces, cloisonné vases, and industrial salvage suited to gift buyers as well as collectors.
History
Rare Bird Antiques opened in 1996 under original owners Jon and Joan Wright, with Jon specializing in automobilia and advertising signs and Joan focused on early collectibles. Lori and Jody Hanks took over ownership in 2017. Lori Hanks specializes in ironstone and cloisonné and continues to select the mall’s dealer mix.
The building previously operated as the Dorris-Swift Grocery in the 1950s and now anchors Goodlettsville’s Main Street antique district. Rare Bird Antiques holds an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and has supplied set pieces for productions including O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Walk the Line, and ABC’s Nashville.
Collector Insight
• Best day to visit: Saturdays show the most newly restocked inventory, since dealers typically restock during the week ahead of weekend traffic.
• Negotiation norms: Pricing flexibility runs 10 to 20 percent on most booths, with more room to negotiate on weekdays than weekends.
• Category strength: Rare Bird Antiques is particularly strong for stoneware, ironstone, and bird-themed collectibles, reflecting co-owner Lori Hanks’s specialization.
• Authentication tip: Check maker’s marks, dovetail joinery, hand-cut hardware, and glaze crazing, and ask staff about provenance on higher-value pieces.
Price Ranges
| Category | Typical Price Range |
| Small décor and glassware | $20–$150 |
| Stoneware and estate jewelry | $50–$500 |
| Mid-century and farmhouse furniture | $200–$1,200+ |
Selling and Booth Rental
Rare Bird Antiques operates on a booth-rental model with 50+ independent dealers rather than traditional consignment. The mall charges approximately 12 percent commission on booth sales, and dealers receive monthly payouts.
Booth openings are limited; interested vendors are placed on a waitlist and must meet the mall’s antique-only standards. The mall seeks oak and walnut furniture, primitives, Depression glass, ironstone, Staffordshire, cloisonné, estate art, folk art, tools, and advertising pieces.
Visit Planning
Rare Bird Antiques is reachable from I-65 Exit 97 in both directions, then a short turn onto Main Street.
| Starting Point | Distance | Drive Time |
| Downtown Nashville | 12 miles | 15–20 minutes |
| Madison, TN | 5 miles | 8 minutes |
| Hendersonville, TN | 8 miles | 12 minutes |
| Franklin, TN | 25 miles | 35 minutes |
| Murfreesboro, TN | 40 miles | 50 minutes |
Weekday mornings run quiet with the most space to browse. Saturday mornings carry the newest restocked inventory. Sunday afternoons are relaxed with lighter foot traffic. Nearby dining includes Goodlettsville Café, Moss’s Donuts, Campbell’s BBQ, and Music City Bar & Grill.
Nearby Antique Stores
Rare Bird Antiques sits within Goodlettsville’s walkable Main Street antique district alongside several other malls:
→ Goodlettsville Antique Mall — a short walk from Rare Bird Antiques on Main Street
→ Tara’s Antiques Mall — additional multi-dealer inventory in the same district
→ Antique Corner Mall in Madison, TN — 5 miles south toward Nashville
For a full comparison of malls in the area, see the guide below, and for the region’s top-ranked destination, see the largest antique mall in Tennessee.
→ Goodlettsville Antique Stores Guide
→ Largest Antique Mall in Tennessee
→ Tennessee Antique Stores Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Rare Bird Antiques’ hours?
Rare Bird Antiques is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 1 PM to 5 PM.
How far is Rare Bird Antiques from Nashville?
Rare Bird Antiques is 12 miles from downtown Nashville, a 15 to 20 minute drive north on I-65.
Does Rare Bird Antiques have a gift shop?
Rare Bird Antiques functions as an antique mall with dealer booths that include gift-appropriate items such as vintage toys, cloisonné vases, and bird-themed collectibles, alongside traditional antiques and furniture.
Are all items at Rare Bird Antiques authentic antiques?
Yes. Rare Bird Antiques maintains an antique-only standard for its 50+ dealer booths, verified by mall staff before booths are approved.
Does Rare Bird Antiques offer appraisals?
Appraisal availability varies by visit. Call (615) 851-2635 to confirm before visiting.
Can I negotiate prices at Rare Bird Antiques?
Yes. Most booths allow 10 to 20 percent price flexibility, with more room on weekdays than weekends.
Final Thoughts
Rare Bird Antiques combines a 10,000-square-foot historic building, 50+ curated dealer booths, and a 15-minute drive from Nashville into one of Middle Tennessee’s most accessible antique malls. Its stoneware, ironstone, and bird-themed inventory, restocked weekly, gives repeat visitors a reason to return on a Saturday-morning schedule.
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