A rainy day at the beach? No issue.
As soon as I enteredDunn’s Atticin Ormond Beach, Florida, and purchased a $1 mimosa, I realized I had made an error. I don’t mean themimosa, which was tasty and prepared with sweet Florida orange juice, or my choice to go to the large consignment shop on historic West Granada Boulevard, which covers 12,000 square feet filled with a varied selection along with the on-siteRosie’s CafeI regretted my mistake of not allocating sufficient time to shop properly.
As I entered, I immediately understood how simple it would be to spend the whole afternoon wandering through row after row. Less than an hour later, I had quickly looked through old books,antique furniture, Christmas decorations, nautical art, and numerous lamps and pottery available at various price ranges. I noticed a vintage hand-painted sangria pitcher fromSt. Augustine’s renowned Columbia Restauranton a shelf beside a Picasso-designed container that I visualized as Virginia Chamblee—the author ofBig Thrift Energyand mistress of uncovering exquisite vintage treasures across Florida—would certainly approve. In a neighboring room devoted tocoastal home decor, it was hard to overlook the big, 1980s-style silver dolphin artwork created by artist L. Soprani, valued at $49,995.
The valuable family treasures highlight that Dunn’s Attic is not your averagethrift storea selection of pre-owned items or the unpredictable mix found at a yard sale. In this case, the merchandise has been thoughtfully assessed, and sellers get a portion of the selling price after an item is sold.
Over 4,800 consignors are featured at Dunn’s Attic, with several having collaborated with owner Wes Dunn since the store’s inception in 2013. Since then, Dunn has experienced constant activity, growing the business to encompass online auctions,estate sales, and the resale of guns. “We don’t know what tomorrow holds in terms of people wanting to bring items in,” he says. “These are items that someone else gathered over the years, traveled across the country or the world to obtain, and acquired these things from places we may never be able to return to.”
That covers all sorts of items, ranging from keepsakes of retirees who moved to Florida to unique collectibles from the late founder of Hawaiian Tropic, Ron Rice, who lived in the surrounding area.Daytona Beach.
Dunn, whose family has lived in Volusia County for more than 125 years and across seven generations, holds a strong emotional connection to local landmarks. His great-grandfather arrived in the Daytona Beach region in 1905 and established Dunn Brothers Hardware. The store served as a go-to spot for items ranging from hammers and nails to pots and pans and children’s toys, becoming a vital part of the community for many years.
A drive to uphold his family’s esteemed reputation as reliable local business owners motivated Dunn to not only start his consignment shop, but also to serve $1 mimosas to entice customers to come in and stay for a while. For him, the focus is on building an environment where people can socialize, laugh, and share memories while they shop.
We are among the top purchasers ofChampagneIn North Central Florida, Dunn says with pride, “We handle approximately 150 cases of Champagne annually. We don’t profit from it, but it’s worthwhile. Where else can you do something like this?”
So, if you’re planning a visit to Dunn’s Attic, avoid making the same error I did: ensure you set aside ample time to completely enjoy the experience.
Some individuals turn their entire day into an event here,” Dunn remarks, pointing out that the wait at Rosie’s Cafe can sometimes last 30 minutes. “We’ve had multiple instances where visitors arrived for breakfast, spent a few hours wandering around with friends, and then returned to dine for lunch.
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