Noah Schwencke

Gallery • 6 Photos

Noah Schwencke

Located roughly 20 minutes away from UTSA’s Main Campus at Castle Creek Village stands a small store full of hidden treasures. Owned by the lovely couple Shawn and Sandra Pickell, Diamond in the Rough Antiques has been around for 13 years. Shawn is a retired Marine with 24 years of service, who now spends his time collecting oddities and antiques of all kinds, as well as going out of his way to search for items at the request of his customers.

Typically, antique stores have a cluttered look: rooms overflowing with clothes, albums and other random trinkets. Diamond in the Rough Antiques is unusual in the sense that it is well organized, clean and nearly resembles an art gallery. Paintings and quilts line the walls, carefully displayed jewelry, belt buckles and other accessories glitter from their glass casings. Furniture from various time periods are carefully displayed throughout the shop, adding a homey feeling.

“Me and my wife, we are super into cleanliness and super unique, unbroken pieces and we take pride in that,” says Pickell. “We are very passionate about our customers, taking care of their needs and locating things that they want. I mean, if someone asks ‘I want this type of piece,’ I’ll find it for them.”

Pickell goes on to say, “We really take care of people, I always tell people, ‘if you really find something you love, you’re going to leave with it’ — everything’s negotiable. I want to take care of the customer.

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“I love beautiful things, I love jewelry, especially sterling silver and gold pieces,” Pickle mentions. “Personally, I collect antique relics from the Aztec and Mayan periods, so you’ll see a lot of things in here with that type of vibe.”

Fans of Marvel, Star Wars or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will find dozens of rare action figures and collectibles.

Shoppers looking for home decor or art to add to their collection may explore this shop’s wide variety of lamps, vases, paintings, vintage LED lights and anything else one could imagine. Music buffs will not be disappointed when they see the curated collection of guitars, amps, stands and radios. With jewelry, clothing, collectibles, furniture and art, there truly is an impressive selection at Diamond in the Rough Antiques.

Diamond in the Rough Antiques is located at 6435 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78216. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Sundays and Wednesdays when they are open from noon to 5 p.m. Whatever you are looking for you will find at Diamond in the Rough Antiques, and if you do not, Shawn is always there to lend a helping hand in finding your dream pieces.