Antiquing in the Historic Town of Lafayette, NJ

Spending a day antiquing in the historic town of Lafayette, New Jersey was a great way to usher in the holidays. Founded in 1845 and named after Marquis de LaFayette (Hamilton fans know who he is), the town centered around the three-and-a-half story grist & feed mill that operated until the Great Depression. Now a rambling antique mall, it is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. Some of the collections were more like historical displays worthy of a museum. I loved the displays of dozens of antique cameras (I’m partial since I’ve collected a few) and even the wall of old paint brushes made for an interesting art display. Upstairs we ventured into a room filled with vintage holiday decor - the trays of hundred of antique glass ornaments was mesmerizing! It was a fantastic step back in time as well as fun shopping. I found a complete set of vintage leather-bound works of William Shakespeare for my husband and my daughter found a room filled with vintage clothing that we had to pry her out of. There literally was something for everyone.

The town has plenty of other antique shops, including Olde Lafayette Emporium, Grey Rabbit Antiques and Sweet Pea’s. We loved checking out The Chocolate Goat Gift Shoppe, which was not just filled with handmade candies, but plenty of gifts and home decor as well. Further down the road is the Painted Barn Market which mainly holds classes but had a cute section of antiques and painted wood signs. The Olde Lafayette Village is also located nearby for outlet shopping.

We stopped for a late lunch at the Millside Cafe. It was in the heart of town and homey with a nostalgic feel. We sat at a mid-50’s retro table that my mom remembered in her childhood kitchen. The food served was like it’s atmosphere, total comfort food. You can’t get homemade mashed potatoes and gravy too many places for lunch (my daughter was in heaven). If we had realized that delicious desserts were waiting down the street at Lorraine’s Cake Shoppe & Tea Room, we would have saved room. This delightful looking shop provides a full tea and all their pastries are homemade. We will have to plan to reserve a tea time when we visit again.

Located in the northwest corner of the state where route 15 and county road 659 meet, the historic town of Lafayette is a pleasant place to spend the day shopping, eating, and stepping back in time.