NEW ORLEANS — The Bellflower, a new antiques marketplace in New Orleans, is celebrating its grand opening June 18 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The opening follows a nearly $2 million investment by Adam Wolf Lambert, President of Crescent City Auction Gallery (CCAG), to create a shared, physical space for antique dealers and designers.
Lambert and the CCAG, which has surpassed $46,663,000 in sales since its inception in 2008, serve collectors and consignors across the Gulf South. Lambert said that despite the gallery’s success, changing market conditions have made it increasingly difficult for antique dealers to maintain brick-and-mortar locations.
“Since the late 1990’s, the price of antiques has declined while rent has increased, prompting dealers to adapt. That realization, combined with the recent surge in real estate prices, has led many antique dealers to move away from brick-and-mortar locations and sell exclusively online or from storage units.”
Lambert said The Bellflower is intended to bring antique dealers back to physical storefronts while incorporating social media sales and other nontraditional selling methods.
The Bellflower, located directly across from CCAG at 1400 St. Charles Avenue, is housed in a restored early-20th-century automobile dealership. Inspired by shared dealer concepts popular in New York and Paris, it is described as New Orleans’ first high-end shared marketplace. It features more than 5,000 square feet with over 40 antique dealer booths and cases. The Bellflower is believed to be the first of its kind in New Orleans, bringing together collections from dealers and designers under one roof.
“New Orleans needed this,” says Lambert. “There is no reason why European cities like Paris and London have this, while New Orleans—known as the antiques mecca of the South—does not. Our goal is to redefine how people shop for antiques, bringing the focus back to the antique dealers and their curated collections. This initiative emphasizes both the dealers and the antiques they offer.”
The Bellflower Grand Opening
When: Thursday, June 18, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Where: 1400 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA
Highlights: Live music; Nola Oyster Queen’s chargrilled oysters; food and drinks
