CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) TV shows like American Pickers and Antiques Roadshow have inspired millions of viewers to try their hand at shopping thrift stores and estate sales in the hope of making an amazing discovery.

“Anybody can go to Walmart and buy someone a gift, but they can go get that themselves,” said Leanne Greer, owner of Second Chance Antiques & Treasures on the 41A Bypass. “With antiques, a vintage or unusual piece is something that you can’t just go find anywhere.”

Second Chance Antiques (formerly Route 41 Antique Mall) is just one of more than a dozen places in Clarksville to shop for pre-owned items. They all have success stories to share about amazing finds.

Leanne’s husband Rodney, who operates the shop with her, does most of the buying for Second Chance.  His most memorable purchase was a .25 toy that sold for $70.

VIDEO EXTRA: Second Chance Antiques

Whether you call it antiquing, thrifting, or junking, the allure of making that rare find attracts many kinds of shoppers.

Some want to give unusual gifts, others want to decorate in a more creative way and still others want to shop for items that they can re-sell for profit. “I’m surprised by the younger generation that are coming. Those that are in their 20s are coming in daily now and are looking for things like solid wood furniture that is going to last,” Leanne said.

PODCAST EXTRA: Self described “junker” Gretchen Cordy from Q108  tells the story of buying a bag of teeth at a Clarksville estate sale.
(Courtesy of “Ryan and Gretchen in The Morning”)

Thrift stores such as Goodwill (3 Clarksville locations) and Salvation Army carry everything from trinkets to clothing and furniture while estate sales open up even wider possibilities because they represent items gathered over a lifetime and sold all at once, usually over two or three consecutive days.

A Clarksvillenow reader submitted a picture of this item found at Southern Kentucky Flea Market in Guthrie. Purchased for $50. It sold on Ebay for $3,000. (Artist: Wojciech Kossak 1956-1942)

The owners of Warehouse 41 at 1214 College Street, which carries new and vintage furniture and miscellaneous collectibles, are a good example of how the thrill of the hunt can lead to something much bigger. “We had one little flea market booth and liked what we were doing, going different places and digging through peoples barns. We just enjoyed it,” owner Stephani Sprague said.

She and her husband Jon decided within the first year of selling part-time that they could make a go of it full-time and now operate a massive shop the size of a warehouse.

Miss Lucille’s on Madison St. is perhaps the area’s largest marketplace with vendors offering antiques, vintage items, hand-painted furniture, handmade children’s clothes, and décor. “We describe it as a mixture somewhere between American Pickers and Pinterest,” said owner Trent Knott.

Miss Lucille’s location just off I-24 attracts shoppers from Nashville, Kentucky and beyond.  “We have regulars from Ohio and Indiana that we know by name. They come here and make a day of it, shopping and eating in the cafe,” Knott said.

Miss Lucille’s presents itself as a labyrinth of vendors. Shoppers could spend an entire afternoon in the store and still not see everything it has to offer.

There are also many great junking destinations within an hour’s drive from Clarksville, including Springfield, Vanleer, Guthrie, Murray, Cadiz and Hazel, Kentucky.

Here’s a partial list of  some local destinations to get you started: