Lakeport’s Ratto’s Uniques & Antiques ‘like walking through grandma’s house’

On the west shore of Clear Lake, Lakeport’s historic downtown boasts plenty of old-school charm, with a variety of restaurants, bars, shops and boutiques, as well as an art gallery, a performing arts center, a museum and a wine tasting room, all within easy walking distance of each other.

In the heart of it all, though is Ratto’s Uniques and Antiques, a 4,500-square-foot indoor mall on South Main Street that offers a chance to plunge into bygone eras, with a large assortment of antiques, collectibles and other vintage treasures, many of them one-of-a-kind.

Angela Ratto, 58, has always had an eye for quality and a deep appreciation for old stuff. In high school, it was the purchase of a vintage 1950s necklace at a flea market that initially piqued her interest in antiques and collectibles.

In her store, you’ll find items ranging from $5 such as linens, scarves, polished stones, records and glassware to $12,000 for a 140-year old English-made desk from Morant & Co., furniture makers for the Queen of England.

A 1940s sectional couch with the original upholstery in mint condition recently sold for $895. Lace tablecloths start at $14. Shoppers can also find a selection of dishes and decorative glass, including orange carnival glass, as well as a number of of mid-century and Victorian items.

“Scavenging is in my blood,” she laughs. “I probably have to credit my great grandfather for this. He was a 40-year member of the Scavengers Protective Association in San Francisco when he worked for the Golden Gate Garbage Company.”

Ratto says she doesn’t just sell merchandise, she sells memories. This was especially evident after wildfires when people would come into the store while furnishing their new homes and starting to rebuild their lives. They were looking for something - no matter how small - that reminded them of an item they had lost.

“For many, it was like walking through grandma’s house. Most found it to be a fun experience that gave them comfort and brought back fond memories of days gone by.”

About 10 years ago, Ratto used money from the sale of a dry-cleaning business she had purchased from her parents to open her first antique store. For a couple of years, she also had a store in Cloverdale.

“I had this idea that ‘if you build it, they will come.’ At one point I had agreed to rent a 3,000-square-foot retail store, and although I had this great concept of what I wanted to do, I had no inventory,” she recalls.

Undeterred, she not only rented the space, she found the merchandise to fill it, and Lakeport Antiques & Art was very successful until she closed it six years later.

Her love of textiles - no doubt gleaned from her years in the dry cleaning business - fanned her interest in vintage clothing. She usually has a nice selection on hand, including hats, purses and shoes.

“My long-range plan was always to open an antique store when I retired. As it turned out, I was lucky enough to do this a little bit ahead of schedule. Now my goal is to turn Lakeport into an antiques destination.”

Lakeport has a charming downtown and her aim is for people to get out of their cars to really check it out.

“Besides my store, we have a lot of cute shops to explore. Folks can also visit our museum, check out the art gallery, maybe even have a picnic at Library Park, feed the ducks and watch the boats out on the lake. It’s a wonderful way to spend the day,” she says. “Beginning in June, we also have free Concerts in the Park at 6 p.m. every Friday night all summer long.”

She finds most of the items for her store at estate clearings where she will often purchase a whole houseful of furniture and miscellaneous household items, which often include vintage clothing and costume jewelry. Other times, she is paid to remove everything at the end of an estate sale, leaving the premises broom clean.

Another service she offers is for surviving family members who have inherited things they don’t want. “It can be very emotional for them to clear out the home of a loved one,” she says, “so I offer them a fair price, pack it all up and move it out so they can walk back into an empty house. This makes it much easier for them to deal with their loss and move on.”

Ratto takes pride in guiding her clients with integrity when purchasing items from them. “I never want them to feel they were ripped off.”

Continuing to build on her success, she is in the process of opening a second antique mall in downtown Lakeport which is slated to open in May.

About the same time, she will also be opening an 1,800-square-foot antique mall in Kelseyville. In the meantime, she has a 300-square-foot retail space inside the A+H General Store.

Early last month, she branched out even further with Second Hand Rose, a thrift store located in Nice. She had originally used the building for storage, but once she started accumulating so many different things, including furniture and other items too new for the antique store, she decided to clear it out and turn it into a second hand store.

Shoppers can find an ever-changing abundance of things here, including household items, knick knacks, toys, clocks, tools, pictures, clothing, costume jewelry and more with prices ranging from a dime to $125. “Twenty dollars goes a long ways at Second Hand Rose,” she says.

Currently, Ratto is looking for vendors to set up shop in one of her two new stores, either Lakeport or Kelseyville. Those interested can contact her at 707-245-1502.