Hat Shades on Cheshire Bridge

I recently connected with a woman on Facebook Marketplace over a pair of vintage rattan side tables. After some back and forth on the price, I discovered she was also a dealer at Decades Antiques and Vintage on Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta. Simultaneously on the hunt for a lamp shade, I decided to ask for advice on where to go and how to find one. She pointed me to a number of different stores and to Bill, the owner, at Decades.

Decades is a fun and funky vintage shop located across from Atlanta’s iconic Colonnade restaurant on Cheshire Bridge Road. Specializing in mid-century modern, the shop’s wares seem to be in perfect parallel with the Colonnade’s retro sign across the street. The restaurant’s dim sign and empty parking lot, visible in my rearview, triggered pre-COVID memories of its carpeted floors, low ceilings, and tasty ‘meat and three’ menu. While I have dined in at The Colonnade many times, this was my first trip to Decades.

Bill, who I mistakenly called Bob upon arrival, proved to be a wealth of knowledge.

Are you Bob?

No.

I pulled my vintage lamp out of my tote bag and we got to work trying out different shades.

Amidst try-ons, Joey, seemingly a friend of Cheshire Bridge, popped his head in a few times looking for AA batteries and perhaps a stiff drink.

It looks like there’s someone at the door.

That’s just Joey.

We ended up going with a green drum shade to match the blue spongeware after Bill confirmed “we don’t do hat shades anymore.” He added later that they, hat shades, are “frankly pedestrian.” And, I could not agree more.

In the end, Bill charged my credit card and screwed on a complimentary finial.

I circled back to my FB Marketplace friend to thank her for the recommendation and share a photo of my new and improved lamp. This friendship and follow up proved fruitful as she promptly knocked $50 off the aforementioned rattan side tables just for being a Decades customer.

After a swift Venmo and porch pick-up, the tables were mine.

Sourced:

Olde Cape Cod Stoneware Blue Spongeware Lamp – City Antiques

Green Drum Shade – Decades Antiques & Vintage

Vintage Rattan Side Tables – Lynn Cross via FB Marketplace (Lynn has an amazing selection of vintage for sale on her Instagram, FB Marketplace, and at Decades)