First came fine antiques, offered by the likes of William Word, Dearing, Joseph Konrad, and the Gables. Then came showrooms selling rugs, tiles, frames, lighting, fabric, and fixtures. Next were the art galleries—Anne Irwin, Pryor Fine Art, Thomas Deans—joining pioneer Miami Circle art dealer Reinike Gallery. Now, improbably, the Buckhead shopping district known as Miami Circle has become home to the Painted Pin, an upscale bowling alley and boutique bar opened by sommelier Justin Amick, son of Concentrics restaurateur Robert Amick.
“The Circle,” as it’s known to insiders, is actually a rather industrial-looking street with one small roundabout at the end. Over the past 25 years or so, it has become home to more than 60 showrooms and stores, nearly all of them catering to both retail and trade customers. And while the centuries-old European treasures (with five-figure price tags) draw collectors from all over the world, it’s also a great place for recreational shopping—for gifts, home accessories, and new furniture.
To sort through the resources, we asked designer Liz Williams (of Liz Williams Interiors, 404-816-9868) to take us to a few of her favorites. Three years ago, she moved her office here from Peachtree Hills (home to ADAC and the Galleries). “I went from one convenient design area to another,” she says. “It’s nice to bring clients to the office, and we can just walk over to see things. Everybody’s different, so there’s a nice mix. We just need more restaurants!”
Foxglove Antiques & Galleries
A longtime source for French, English, and Italian antiques, Foxglove also has a surprising array of Swedish furniture, midcentury pieces, and industrial elements. Among Williams’s favorite finds: unusual light fixtures, white ironstone, mirrors, old books, and glassware such as demijohns and apothecary jars. More than a dozen international dealers keep the showroom’s 12,000 square feet well stocked. 699 Miami Circle, 404-233-0222
Joseph Konrad
Owners Channing Mercer and Lloyd Chapman offer more new merchandise than did the store’s founder. So along with a George III piecrust table or a bowfront mahogany chest, expect to see stylish accessories like Lucite sconces and gold sunburst mirrors. Check out their selection of fireplace furnishings like screens and fenders, suggests Williams. 693 Miami Circle, 404-261-3224
Azra Oriental Rugs
Since 1989, Iran native Azra Bastani has been selling rugs that she hand-selects in Turkey. Williams prefers vintage rugs with more subdued colors, like the popular Oushaks. 690 Miami Circle, 404-467-0700
The Nicholson Gallery
Martha Nicholson offers European antiques, mostly from France and Belgium, along with midcentury design, industrial pieces, and textiles. She repurposes artifacts like cogs, gears, and shutters into home furnishings. Plus: hard-to-find new lines such as furniture by Cisco Brothers and Libeco’s Belgian linens. 764 Miami Circle, 404-848-9553
Pryor Fine Art
Artist Susie Pryor launched her eponymous gallery 25 years ago and today represents more than 60 artists. Although Pryor specializes in abstract work, the collection includes figurative work, sculpture, and other painting styles. 764 Miami Circle, 404-352-8775
Anne Irwin Fine Art
Williams likes to bring clients here because, as she says, it’s an unintimidating gallery, representing a diverse roster of more than 40 emerging and midcareer contemporary artists from around the nation. You might come looking for an impressionist landscape but find yourself falling in love with an abstract. 690 Miami Circle, 404-467-1200
Walker Zanger
This family-owned, California-based business has quarried natural stone for more than 60 years. Visiting their Atlanta slab yard, with its racks of ancient marbles and granites (you have to register and wear a name tag), is like walking back in time. Williams enjoys the convenience of shopping at one location for both counter slabs and tile (check out the creative modern mosaics). 791 Miami Circle, 404-365-9991
The Gables Antiques
For 37 years, the Gables has specialized in European antiques, including tapestries, mirrors, screens, and paintings in addition to furniture. You’ll also find smaller accessories like French faience, Delft, pottery, boxes, and inkwells. Owner and founder Suzanne
Cox travels regularly to Europe to select pieces in person. 711 Miami Circle, 404-231-0734
This article originally appeared in our Fall 2015 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.