Not Your Grandma’s Antique Shop | The fascinating 1A Relics of Ellsworth
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It’s hard to stand out on the Maine Antique Trail, with 60+ stores scattered from Kittery to Columbia Falls to Greenville. Yet, 1A Relics of Ellsworth grabs your attention from the road and keeps it — sometimes for hours — once you’re inside.
1A Relics might be new by antiquing standards, but this eclectic business is grabbing headlines and hordes of travelers, one curious mind at a time.
From the outside, it looks like something from Stephen King’s mind mixed with a yard sale that got wildly out of hand. On the inside, it gives Winchester Mystery House vibes and a tempting way to spend your money on something you definitely don’t need, but can’t live without once you see it.
1A Relics offers more than an antique shop among antique shops; it’s a roadside attraction that can’t be put into a specific category. Let’s explore this Downeast delight.
History of 1A Relics
When you look at the exterior, you probably won’t be surprised to learn it started as a barn in the 1920s. It stood that way until 1975, when Terrence Pinkham took over. Without a lot of planning, architectural symmetry, or (seemingly) logic, Pinkham added mismatched sections to the build for decades. It served as the garage and home base for Moto-Car, an antique automobile business.
The property sat empty for a few years in the 2010s, drawing curious looks nonetheless. Perhaps the most curious was Shelly Bradsell, a nurse educator for 20 years, looking for a new venture. The 12,000 square foot building was nothing more than an empty shell and probably closer to an OSHA violation than a vibrant antique shop. The Bradsells purchased it in 2017.
Little by little, Shelley and her husband poured money, TLC, and original materials back into the building to bring it up to code and into this century with plumbing and power.
“We tried to keep as much as we could because it was cool,” Bradsell told Bangor Daily News in 2018. “We repurposed a lot.”
They even leaned into the oddity of the building, keeping the mysterious motif throughout the renovation and subsequent expansions. 1A Relics opened in the summer of 2018.
Where Is 1A Relics?
The name of 1A Relics comes from the road it faces, off Route 1A (Bangor Road) in Ellsworth. From Route 1, take a left in Ellsworth and travel about four miles north. You can find 1A Relics off of Route 1. The address is 333 Bangor Road, Ellsworth, 04605.
1A Relics is an easy pit stop on the way to or from Acadia National Park or Bar Harbor, and just about a 30-minute drive from downtown Bar Harbor. If you’re coming from Bangor, take Route 1A for about 23 miles (30 minute drive).
You, quite literally, can’t miss it.
Exploring 1A Relics Inside Out
If Stephen King and Tim Burton had a baby building, it would look a lot like 1A Relics. Let’s start with what you see from the road.
1A Relics Exterior
The wooden frame of the former barn still stands, with tin walls, a third-story turret, barred balconies, and a random round accent on the far side.
The new owners didn’t mess with the unique look. What they brought was more stuff to selectively decorate the oddity of an outside. You’ll feel like you’re being watched as you approach, since dolls of all shapes, sizes, and scary levels are lurking in the windows.
Several 1A Relics signs adorn the building, with a sloppy collection of letters that spell out “Antiques, Collectibles, & More.” Be sure to get a photo with Larry the Lobstah on your way in.
Oh, that pink trolley? That’s a working ice cream parlor.
Inside 1A Relics
1A Relics isn’t the kind of store you can stop by “real quick.” Once you’re inside, there are three levels and 12,000 square feet to explore. More than 90 vendors fill every nook and cranny inside.
Call it a hoarder’s dream, sensory overload, or the motherload of nostalgia; surely if history had a scent, it would smell a lot like 1A Relics.
As the title of this article suggests, this isn’t your grandmother’s antique shop. In fact, there’s a waitlist for vendors who go far beyond keepsakes and memorabilia. New items come in on a daily basis.
Expect to find:
- Antiques
- Collectibles
- Artisan booths
- Stephen King section
- The largest bookstore in Ellsworth
- Comic books
- Famous characters throughout pop culture history
- Toys
- Historic artifacts
- Vinyl records/cassette tapes
- Vintage clothing
- Seasonal goods
- & More!
“If a person comes walking through the door asking for something inparticular, there’s a good chance we have it,” Bradsell told a local TV station in 2024.
It’s important to look up, down, and all around when visiting 1A Relics. Pennywise is keeping watch from a vantage point, but so are Miss Piggy and Kermit. Some rare Stephen King signed books line the shelves, while Maine artists paint their way into every corner.
How Long to Spend at 1A Relics?
You’re going to want to give yourself at least an hour to explore this mismatched layout. It feels a lot like the building equivalent of the internet in that you feel like you’ll never reach the end of it. Ideally, book about 2-3 hours if you really want to explore all the corners from floor to ceiling.
While the Ice Cream Trolley is open seasonally, 1A Relics stays open year-round (weather permitting) with daily hours from 10am – 5pm. Expect to meet Shelley or her husband when you’re there, as they love to meet the customers.
Is 1A Relics Worth the Stop?
You don’t have to be a card-carrying member of Antique Road Show to enjoy what 1A Relics offers. This shop is as much about oddities as it is antiques. In fact, the Bradsells aren’t even expecting you to spend any money. Treat it like a free museum and just explore as much as you can take in!
Just up the road from 1A Relics, you’ll find another Ellsworth relic. The remains of Moto-Car sit on the side of the road, with rusted-out old vehicles that bring Route 66 nostalgia far from the Mother Road.
And if anyone from Hollywood is reading this, you should know that 1A Relics is in the location library list through the Maine Film Office. Let’s make it a movie star!
What Else is Near 1A Relics?
You don’t have to go too far off the beaten path to find 1A Relics. It’s on the road between Bangor and Bar Harbor. Explore Ellsworth, the Gateway to Acadia, while you’re there. Nature lovers should put Birdsacre Preserve on their list, with six miles of trails through migrating bird paths and among the beautiful landscape of Downeast Maine.
The antique shop is also a great stop on a Route 1 road trip. If you want to escape the crowds of Acadia but still want to see glacial lakes, 1A Relics is perfectly positioned between Graham Lake and Branch Lake.
We also recommend that before you go to Bar Harbor, you pass the Ellsworth exits and continue on to the Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park.