Salvage Antiques Vintage Etc. is the culmination of years of experience, passion, and a mission to fill a growing need for architectural salvage and vintage finds. It all began with a problem: the scarcity of old hardware and reclaimed materials for restoration projects. When I remodeled my first home, built in 1918, I had to learn everything from scratch, with limited resources and no budget. Back then, in Ohio, I could easily find doors, hardware, clawfoot tubs, and windows at places like Habitat for Humanity. But over time, these treasures became harder to find.
Years later, when we moved to Canon City, Colorado, I needed something as simple as a ball finial hinge pin and couldn’t find one anywhere in the entire county. A few years before, I had searched Denver for reclaimed, slightly rusty corrugated metal to create a feature wall in a mountain condo. Despite visiting multiple architectural salvage stores, I couldn’t find even one sheet—let alone the 12 I needed. These experiences made me wonder: How is this possible? Am I the only one searching for old hardware and reclaimed materials?
That realization was the seed for Canon City Architectural Salvage, six months after moving to Canon City. Initially, we sold at flea markets, antique and craft shows, and maintained booths in antique malls. But it quickly became clear that a dedicated retail space was necessary.
In October 2016, we purchased and opened our 7,000 sq. ft. retail store at 208 W Main Street in Florence, the Antique Capital of Colorado. The building became home to our growing collection of architectural salvage, upcycled projects, and mid-century modern furniture. Today, the store is thoughtfully organized into three sections: one-third for architectural salvage, one-third for mid-century modern and vintage furniture, and one-third for a curated selection of other unique finds.
What sets us apart is that we don’t just sell what’s trendy—we sell what we love. Our house is filled with the same pieces we restore and offer in the store. Vintage Herman Miller and Drexel Declaration sit alongside local antiques and custom furniture we’ve created ourselves. Our customers value the expertise and care we bring to restoration and rely on us for a well-organized selection of hardware and architectural salvage to meet their remodeling and restoration needs.
The heart of our business lies in the name: S.A.V.E. We SAVE neglected furniture by restoring well-made pieces that simply need care. We SAVE history by reclaiming architectural elements from homes slated for demolition. We SAVE thousands of pounds of material from landfills every year. We SAVE property owners time, labor, and disposal costs through salvage efforts. We SAVE buildings by helping restore them to their original beauty and detail. And most importantly, we SAVE our customers money by offering high-quality, reasonably priced materials and furnishings.
This mission is a win for everyone—the environment, our salvage clients, our customers, and our community. Our work breathes new life into forgotten materials and ensures that history lives on in homes and spaces everywhere.
We invite you to visit us at our store in Florence, Colorado, or contact us to explore how we can help with your next restoration or remodeling project. Together, we are saving the past, building the future.
Thank you,
Barna and Erin