Palisadian Opens Collections Antiques and Books Store

By MAGNOLIA LAFLEUR | Reporter

The original Collections Antiques and Accessories store—located at 15326 Antioch Street—will be reopening as Collections Antiques … and Books, under a new owner.

Originally owned by Martha Strang since 1991, her long time associate since 2008, Jeffrey Ridgway, took over the space on December 1, and is introducing a collection of books to the antique shop.

“I met Martha when I would visit her in the store to sell advertising for the local papers,” Ridgway said to the Palisadian-Post. “A few years ago … she told me she was looking for someone to work part time, and I promised to find her someone. When I failed to do so, I thought maybe I should just jump in and help out. I loved it immediately and Martha was a dream to work for/with.

“I very quickly realized that an antique store was the perfect venue for selling books—as there is a nice harmony between the amazing hand-crafted pieces of all sorts and books in general, but especially the classics which I love.”

Born in Sacramento, Ridgway moved to Southern California in 1989, followed by a move to Pacific Palisades in 1991 with his wife. He worked at Old Crown Books on Sunset Boulevard and became manager shortly after.

A long-time Palisadian, Ridgway has been a staple in the community, working at multiple local stores that enriched his knowledge and love of vintage items and books.

“I have had the pleasure to meet a lot of Palisadians from managing the Crown Books store, to helping Katie O’Laughlin open the wildly successful Village Books, to working as a sales [representative] for the Palisadian-Post, then with the Palisades News, and finally working part time with Martha Strang at Collections Antiques where I learned to love the vintage and antiques items, and of course the clocks,” Ridgway said. “I love the clocks, the ticking and gonging at the hours. It is very soothing, like a heartbeat. We will always be a clock shop.”

From artwork and clocks, to furniture and unique gifts, Ridgway’s new store will offer an assortment of books, giving the Palisades a new place to purchase classic and contemporary works.

Selling the “best-of-the-best” books from his personal collection over the past 40 years, Ridgway does not believe that books are an endangered species, rather he aims to infuse the Palisades with the love he has for books or what he calls, “a repository of all the knowledge and the stories of the world.”

“Certainly the book world has changed, and absolutely the retail experience has changed,” Ridgway said. “But there is a unique and enduring value to holding a physical volume and reading and re-reading as a personal act rather than on an impersonal screen showing computer-generated text … A bookstore allows someone to actually see the titles of what is available: to touch and browse and explore, and to see the connections which are all important.

“You do not get that from a computer or device … The one thing I know for certain is that time spent reading is never wasted time. How many things can you say that about?”

Ridgway believes that physical books “unlock” the experience of reading in ways that e-books do not. And while he admits that books take up physical space, he said they are great to have at your fingertips and as a reference.

Most recently his favorite types of books have been history and non-fiction.

“Perhaps I am trying to make sense of the world still,” Ridgway said. “We live in a time of great dissonance. I say, fight back [and] read a book.”

With a desire to bring a harmonious balance to others by selling antique items and books, Ridgway said he feels these two items are not only complimentary, but can lift the lives of people—through the acquisition of information, the stirring of their imagination and the reminiscent nostalgia of a time long past.

“I find that people are looking for a way to soften their lives from the harsh, modern-style living environments which have taken over these past years. A single fine hand-crafted wooden table or chair accentuates the linear clean-lines of modern houses rather than disrupts it,” he said to the Post. “Or a beautiful clock and books spread around or on shelves. At least this is what I believe, and hope others do as well. I call it ‘Palisades Feng-Shui.’ Bringing more life, natural material and human-craftsmanship inside.”

Managing the store with his beloved dog Abby, Ridgway looks forward to unloading great books and antiques onto his Palisades community, giving them the experience of “seeing and touching the spine” of a book and unlocking stories of faraway lands and of the things unknown.

“I have sold books to many of the ‘old’ Palisadians and newcomers and kids of all ages.” Ridgway said. “What I feel I offer to this town, which is my own hometown, after all these years, is the ability from my experience as a bookseller to bring in a wide variety of the best of the best books which are available.

“That is the key to Collections Antiques … and Books—I want to have something to ‘wow’ anyone walking into the shop.”