Grandpa's Barn offers local antiques, vintage pickings

Members of the Blasdel family have a tendency to collect things — lots of things. And after time, they add up.

Brad and Cyndi Blasdel have tapped into the family treasure trove of collectibles — some of which have been in storage for 70 years or more — and their own stash of antiques and vintage items to start Grandpa’s Barn at 277 Third Ave. EN in Kalispell.

The shop’s name is a nod to Brad’s grandfather, Jesse Blasdel, who along with his wife, Ethel, owned the iconic 1908 “Blasdel Barn” that still stands as a Flathead Valley landmark within the Blasdel Waterfowl Production Area along North Somers Road near Somers. Brad remembers swinging on the rope swing in the barn as a child.

A few of the items for sale at Grandpa’s Barn were stored in the old barn before it was vacated and turned over to the Fish and Wildlife Service in the 1980s. A hand-held grain shovel was rescued from the barn, as was an antique pie safe, a cupboard with screens that kept the flies away from fresh-based pies before refrigeration.

It turns out Grandma Ethel was a bit of a hoarder, Brad revealed. His father, Don Blasdel, also is an exuberant collector. And then there’s Brad’s aunt Marie, who was an avid collector in her day.

“We have a whole storage unit of her things, and we’ll be bringing out some of them,” he said.

Among Marie’s things was a 1950s-era bright yellow kitchen table and matching yellow vinyl chairs, the kind of table many a baby-boomer bellied up to for a home-cooked meal. That set is now for sale at the Blasdel’s new shop.

“We’ve collected way too much stuff,” Brad said as he shook his head and contemplated the volume of it all. His dad has stuff stashed in semi-trailers for safe storage.

“It’s an addiction,” he admitted.

Cyndi Blasdel has an equal love of collecting. Antique trunks are her weakness.

“I had 13; now I think I’m down to 10,” she said with a smile.

Added Brad: “Some things we just don’t let go of.”

The Blasdels also inherited a number of collectibles from Matt Eccles, who farmed southwest of the Blasdel farm near Somers. When he died there were no remaining relatives, so Jesse Blasdel was gifted Eccles’ belongings. Some of the old keepsakes are destined for the shelves at Grandpa’s Barn. Among the unique items is a barrel full of old glass-plate negatives.

Brad and Cyndi Blasdel are avid pickers who search out antiques and vintage items at auction sales, yard sales and everywhere in between. They’re planning a trip to the South in late September and will take requests to look for specific items.

Among the unique items they’ve picked is a 150-year-old, handmade apothecary pill-maker.

“It took us a long time to identify what it was,” Brad said. “We dig and we ask.”

The couple wrap their collecting around their other jobs. Brad is a maintenance technician at Applied Materials; Cyndi does custom sewing for Nomad Global Communications. Brad also makes furniture, often using recycled wood pallets.

Their goal right now is to keep the shelves in Grandpa’s Barn stocked with an array of unique collectibles. Their dream is to grow the business to the point where they can build a “miniature” Blasdel Barn. “It would still be 80 feet long,” Brad said.

They have plans to hold workshops at the shop and will post details on the Facebook page for Grandpa’s Barn. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Blasdels also are holding vintage market sessions in the parking lot of their business that will feature other vendors as well as their offerings. Hours for the outdoor market are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The next market is Sept.2.

“We’ll hold them every two weeks until the snow flies,” Brad said.

For more information call Grandpa’s Barn at 406-890-4556.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.