Due north

ANTIQUE ALLEY

The gist: Housed in the old city library, this sale showcases mostly natural repurposed and some painted furniture with antiques, garden ware and a smattering of gift goods and a gourmet foods boutique.

Don't miss: Street repair out front -- you'll want to use the back entrance and parking lot.

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 10 a.m. -4 p.m. Sun. on second week of each month. Next sale: Sept. 10-13.

FRENCH FLEA

211 E. Main. St., Anoka • 763-427-1837

The gist: Sixteen dealers stage this site together for a tasty visual display of furniture and accessories, accented with old silver, flowers, lots of charm.

Don't miss: The back room and sun-dappled patio stuffed with garden finds.

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thu., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. on second week of each month. Next sale: Sept. 10-13.

LES JUNC

216 E. Main. St., Anoka • 763-843-0765

The gist: This small space is filled with larger painted pieces such as hutches, buffets and bureaus and small accessories from five dealers. Owner Carole Peterson also operates a Les Junc sale in Zimmerman, Minn., the third weekend of each month.

Don't miss: Jams and homemade breads for sale.

Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thu., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. on second week of each month. Next sale: Sept. 10-13.

NIC NAC PADDYWAC'S

201 E. Main St., Anoka • 763-360-4669

The gist: Sisters Susan Alarcon and Tricia Knudsen have relocated their mix of painted, reconditioned and fixed-up furniture and garden pieces from Osseo to Anoka. Along with two other dealers, they offer an array of bureaus, buffets, vanities, mirrors and chests, and accessories.

Don't miss: Shoulder bags sewn from vintage tablecloths.

Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thu., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. Typically open second full weekend of each month. Next sale: Sept. 10-13.

WREN'S NEST

118 E. Main St., Anoka • 763-421-1795

The gist: Buffalo Barn Chix stalwart Lisa Greene has launched her own sale, a mix of French-country-style painted furniture and upholstered pieces, garden and home decor, mixed with florals, some clothing and jewelry.

Don't miss: Old doors with wallpaper insets restyled as dividers and bulletin boards.

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thu., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Typically open second week each month. Next sale: Sept. 10-13.

WHERE TO EAT

Duffy's Bar & Grill in Osseo serves a daily from-scratch soup and a lineup of hamburgers named for its own locale and for neighboring towns. In Anoka, Truffles & Tortes on Main Street serves mix-and-match sandwich/soup/quiche/salad combos with cozy seating underneath a copper-colored pressed-tin ceiling.

GETTING THERE

Accessible from U.S. Hwy. 169.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Check before you go; both towns offer venues for antiques hunters as well. For those who shop till they drop, several Anoka merchants sponsor Girls' Night Out the second Thursday of each month, the first day of the occasional sales, with discounts, refreshments and prizes from 4-8 p.m. While it features handicrafts such as jewelry and purses, not home decor, All Creation Crafts and Collectibles at 317 1/2 Central Av. in Osseo, also operates as an occasional sale, open the same days as Antique Alley.

Kim Yeager • 612-673-4899

MORE ONLINE READ THE EARLIER FOUR PARTS OF THE SERIES, PLUS TIPS AND WATCH A VIDEO ON SHOPPING OCCASIONAL SALES AT STARTRIBUNE.COM/HOMEGARDEN.

1. Cast-off doors are repurposed as bulletin boards at the Wren's Nest in Anoka. 2. A buffet mingles with old-world accessories, typical of the mix at Nic Nac Paddywac's, recently relocated from Osseo to Anoka. 3. Painted furniture and upholstery are mainstay items at Les Junc in Anoka. 4. Anoka's French Flea is home to a sophisticated mix of painted furniture, accessories and gardenware. 5. Crystal lighting sparkles at Les Junc. 6. Handmade pillows cascade from a cart at the Wren's Nest. 7. Cheery red vintage canisters and suitcase are paired at Antique Alley in Osseo.