Slowing Down for the Good Stuff in Centralia, WA
History, hospitality, and hidden gems await.
This vivid mural on Tower Avenue
honors Centralia’s labor history.
(Photograph by Richard Coit/Wikimedia Commons)
By Wayne Jordan
Antiquing in Centralia’s Downtown District
You can tell a lot about a town by what it saves. In Centralia, Washington, they’ve saved everything from carved oak dressers and Bakelite radios to century-old murals and a downtown bandstand. The past isn’t tucked away behind glass here—it’s part of the streetscape.
The historic Fox Theatre marquee.
(Image courtesy of Margot Kravette/inspiredjourneys.live)
Set between Seattle and Portland, Centralia is where the freeway finally exhales and lets you slow down for a minute. You can reach it by car off I-5 (Exit 81) or ride in on the Amtrak Cascades line, which rolls in a few times a day with curious travelers and collectors looking for a quieter kind of treasure hunt.
Downtown Centralia has that charm that happens when no one’s trying too hard. Sidewalks are wide, buildings wear their history without apology, and most shops still close for dinner. It’s a walkable place, easygoing and unhurried, with enough antique stores to keep you busy for a weekend and enough good food and character to make you want to stay longer.
Where the Hunt Begins
Tower Avenue is the heart of it all. Locals call it “Antique Row,” and for good reason. Within a few blocks, you’ll find over a dozen shops fi lled with everything from Victorian fainting couches to neon beer signs from 1973. You could walk the length of the street in ten minutes, but most folks don’t. They get sidetracked by the storefronts, the stories, the shopkeepers who know what you’re looking for before you do.
Start at the Centralia Square Antique Mall at 310 N. Tower. You can’t miss the Art Deco front, but what’s inside is the real draw: more than 130 dealers sharing one roof and not a mass-produced replica in sight. Some booths are curated like museum exhibits, others look like your grandma’s attic, and all invite digging.
Buttons, brooches, and bits of forgotten flair from Timeless Treasures.
(Image courtesy of Timeless Treasures)
Just down the block, Timeless Treasures at 314 N. Tower lives up to the name. Housed in a former J.C. Penney’s from 1915, it still has its pressed tin ceiling and a kind of old-store smell that makes you breathe deeper. Owner Judee Smith has a knack for vintage lighting—lamps, chandeliers, sconces—but you’ll also find comics, baseball cards, jewelry, and surprises you didn’t know you were collecting until now.
If you’re into old cars, head to Junkyard 23 at 113 N. Tower. It’s heavy on nostalgia, with license plates, gas station swag, racing jackets, and toy cars that look like they’ve seen a few childhood collisions. Car culture runs deep in Centralia, and this shop reflects that.
Other worth-a-peek stops include The Landlord’s Daughter (325 N. Tower), Tower Avenue Antiques (208), The Emporium Ayala (305), and Vintage Vault (327). Each shop has its own personality and rewards patient browsing.
History on Display (and Underfoot)
Above: Centralia, Washington, founder and Black American pioneer George Washington, seated on a stool or chair with horn legs outside the entrance to his home, with his dog c. 1890. (Washington State Historical Society)
Centralia doesn’t just sell the past, it wears it. Walk the downtown blocks, and you’ll spot murals celebrating its coal mining and railroad roots. One of the best-known spans the wall at 500 N. Tower that is heritage preserved in paint. The Fox Theater, a 1920s movie palace with an iconic Art Deco marquee, is undergoing renovation. You can’t go in now, but you can still admire its architectural flourishes and imagine the opening nights it once hosted. During the summer, they sometimes off er weekend tours for the curious.
Right: The 1909 bandstand in Washington Park still holds court.
(© Steven Pavlov / https://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/User:Senapa)
At Washington Park, right in the middle of downtown, the 1909 bandstand still holds court. Sit on a bench nearby and close your eyes—you can almost hear the brass band warming up on a summer afternoon. It’s the kind of spot where time seems to settle in, not pass by.
Above: Statue of George Washington with his wife Mary sitting
on a bench, with their dog, Rockwood, in Washington Park.
(Image courtesy of Margot Kravette/inspiredjourneys.live)
Want something hands-on? Check out Rectangle Gallery at 209 N. Tower for contemporary work by regional artists, or swing by Central Glassworks at 109 W. Main to watch a demo or take a short glassblowing class. Even if you don’t step behind the torch yourself, watching molten color take shape is fun.
Eat Something While You’re Here
Eventually, the hunt catches up with your stomach. When it does, you’ll find a solid mix of places to sit, sip, or scarf down something hearty.
Berry Fields Café at 201 S. Pearl is a local favorite. It offers comfort food, a welcoming vibe, and a bakery case that’s hard to walk past. Try the quiche or a hot sandwich, then give in to dessert. Just do it.
Berry Fields Café
(Image courtesy of berryfieldscafe.com)
If you’re in the mood for something less grandma and more beach bar, wander around to 404 N. Tower. The Tiki Tap House delivers Island-inspired pizza, local pints, and a mellow vibe. It is perfect for relaxing after digging through vintage hardware and World War II ration books.
Seasonal Finds and Local Events
Time your visit right, and you can pair your antique quest with a lively event.
Centralia rolls out the Antique Fest in August as three days of shopping, live music, trolley rides, appraisals, vintage cars, and more. It’s not just a festival; it’s a gathering of people who love old stuff and good stories.
That same month, the Hub City Car Show takes over downtown with rows of polished chrome, rumbling engines, and proud owners ready to talk shop.
Amtrak rolls into Centralia Union Depot daily.
(© Steven Pavlov / https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Senapa)
Come October, the town leans into its ghost stories. The annual Ghost Walk begins at the Lewis and Clark Hotel and winds through 13 historic buildings, each one paired with local legends and a little theatrical flair. When the walking’s done, there’s cider, donuts, and a pop-up bazaar full of seasonal oddities known as the “Dark Market.”
In December, the Christmas on Magnolia holiday market transforms downtown into something out of a snow globe with lights, handmade gifts, carolers, the works.
One More Thing Before You Go
You can visit Centralia in a day, but you would probably wish you hadn’t. Between the shops, the food, the walkable charm, and the stories hiding in corners, it’s the kind of place that invites lingering. So bring good shoes, carry a bag that can hold more than you planned for, and leave room in the trunk.
And don’t be surprised if, halfway through a conversation about an old curio cabinet, the shopkeeper starts telling you about their great-aunt who used to own a similar one and how she brought it west in a covered wagon or maybe bought it in a Sears catalog in 1923. Either way, the stories are free. But the memories you bring home? Those are priceless.
For more information, contact the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce at TheChamber@ChamberWay.com or 360-748-8885.
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