Britannia Antiques

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 10:30am

I regret the minimum rating I can offer this 'business' is 1 star: a negative value (as in: 'does not deserve to be in business') provides the most accurate rating for this business' management. I passed this shop, after getting money from my bank for HADA tomorrow. Heading to Montrose, I passed Britannia Antiques this morning, on my bike, as I have a few times before. There earlier than usual, I decided to stop in Britannia Antiques for a look. I'm a 20+ year silver and silver-plate collector (started years ago as a Grad student) having, before my University education, also specialized in British coins (last 1000 years). So a business touting itself as ''Britannia Antiques'' seemed worth some of my time.

I bike to control onset diabetes and stopped in Britannia Antiques on my way to consignment and thrift stores in Montrose and antique malls in Upper Kirby, for a pre-HADA scan at what I might find in my home turf. Noting the parking at the rear of Britannia Antiques, I locked my bike in back and entered the store through the rear door marked ''open'' that led into Britannia Antiques. Inside the room nearest the rear door, I viewed 3 items of silver-plate (noting privately, one was incorrectly identified). As I moved towards the front of the store, the1st words spoken were by the proprietor, from behind his desk. He said that he wanted me to leave his store. I replied that I collected silver, and gesturing towards a tea and coffee set in an upright cabinet, asked if I might look at them. He said, ''You look like a tramp and you stink. I want you out of my store! If you don't leave, I'll call the police.'' I pointed out I'd biked there, that my hair was still wet because I showered and shampooed before leaving home (15 blocks away), so his remarks about my odor might be mistaken. But I also moved towards the back door as I do not stay where I am unwelcome.

I am in philosophy, an intellectual calling for which a beard is an asset. Unfortunately, Britannia Antiques' proprietor's prejudice against beards is not a thing I can answer for.

At this point, he began to come at me from behind his desk, fists clenched! Fearing physical attack, I quickly moved out of there, unlocked my bike and started to pedal away as he emerged from the door, continuing to berate me, while speeding up to try and grab me!

He only slowed down and lowered his arms after I said, ''If you harm me, I will sue you!''

I did not wish to give him any opportunity to pull me off my bike: I have rotator cuff problems (issues with two torn muscles). While my Dr recommends careful biking, to strengthen my other rotator muscles, he also recommends I suffer neither falls nor trauma, so a fight, even if in self-defense, is ill advised while I am in this condition. I'll need surgery for this problem in the summer. Had the proprietor of Britannia Antiques satisfied his malevolent intentions, I could well have come to serious and irreparable bodily harm.

I cannot and will not recommend this shop to anyone. Britannia Antiques' proprieter would be well advised to act like a grown up and could benefit from a family intervention to encourage him to address some serious anger-management issues, as he examines his tendency to draw hasty conclusions about diabetic bikers--based on mere superficialities.

I doubt the professional competence of Britannia Antiques, due to both the demeanor of its proprietor and his incorrect description of at least one silver-plated item (I did not get to examine any but those in his first small room).

In sum, this is the worst experience I've ever had in an antique/coin store in 40 years of dealing with such individuals, the vast majority of whom are highly professional, courteous, and incidentally, tranquil.