Question of the Day - 28 July 2006

Although Las Vegas is often criticized for having "no history," there's actually a burgeoning antiques and collectibles scene in the city and its environs, with plenty of casino memorabilia and other interesting items up for grabs, if you know where to look. Listed below are some of the more popular antique malls around town, with brief descriptions of their specialties.

• Antique Mall of America 9151 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Tel: 702/933-2791 Hours: 10 am–7 pm daily Formerly located on W. Tropicana Ave., this antique depot is now spread over 43,000 square feet south of the Strip and features 130 dealers' treasures.

• Red Rooster Antique Mall 1109 Western Ave. (off the E. Charleston exit of the I-15) Tel: 702/382-5253 Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 am-6 pm; Sunday 11 am-5 pm The Red Rooster is a 23,000-square-foot maze of antiques, including furniture, memorabilia, knickknacks, and collectibles. It takes about three hours to explore the whole place and you can sometimes find the odd gem.

• Modify 8 E. Charleston Blvd. (a couple of blocks east of Red Rooster) Hours: Erratic, but generally around 2 pm-7 pm daily. Currently no phone. If you like mid-century modern and the whole retro vibe, you have to check this place out. It's small but packed with everything from '50s sofas and '70s lamps to kitchenware, vases, ashtrays, artwork, and the occasional TV set. Will also custom-make furniture to order. We wouldn't recommend making a special trip, just in case it's closed, but if you're planning on visiting Red Rooster, Silver Horse, or the Funk House, it's in the same area.

• Silver Horse Antiques 1651 E. Charleston Blvd. Tel: 702/385-2700 Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 am-4 pm Closed on Sunday Part of the E. Charleston Blvd. antique-mecca corridor, this store specializes in lamps, furniture, glasswork, and short-lived collectibles and you can also pick up a map to almost all of the other local antique locations, which are too numerous to mention, with phone numbers and hours of operation.

• The Funk House 1228 S. Casino Center Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89104 702/678-6278 Located just off E. Charleston, the Funk House is owned by the founder of Las Vegas' First Fridays monthly arts festival and features vintage signage, antiques, jewelry, ceramics, art, and furniture ranging from 18th century to '50s modern, with a tendency toward the unusual and bizarre. When we say that current items listed on its site include a 1940s birthing table and that it regularly offers vintage coffins for sale (we've seen a pink one in there), you'll get the generally eclectic idea.

In addition, here are a few places on the way to Hoover Dam in Boulder City that are definitely worth stopping for.

• Antique Depot 525 Avenue B Boulder City Tel: 702/636-0777 Hours: Daily 10 am-5 pm

• Back In Thyme 544 Nevada Hwy. Boulder City Tel: 702/294-1983 Specializes in signs, candles, and nostalgic items. Located next door to Milo's Wine Cellar, a nice place to sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine and a cheese and fruit platter.

• Boulder City Antique Mall 1524 Nevada Hwy. Boulder City Tel: 702/294-3996 Hours: Daily 10 am-6 pm This 10,000-square-foot mall features antiques, collectibles, primitives, shabby chic items, and gift ideas. The mall is located on the left, just before entering into Boulder City, off I-95.