Howard’s Flying Dragon Antiques

There are shops you visit once and shops you keep coming back to. Howard’s Flying Dragon Antiques, a family-run gem on Main Street, is firmly in the second category.

For more than 52 years, the shop has been part of the fabric of Essex, a place with genuine character and an inventory that rewards careful browsing. The antiques and collectibles here span a wide range, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming in a way that feels earned rather than manufactured.

A Cape Ann institution, and a reminder that the best antique shopping is never just about the objects.