Julia Phillips places an item on a shelf at High Point Antiques & Collectibles near Cowpens. There is an old saying in our culture that "one man's trash is another man's treasure." However, a Cherokee County woman is hoping that her treasures will remain treasures for many other people.

Cherokee County resident Julia Phillips owns and operates High Point Antiques & Collectibles, a small antique shop located a few miles from the Spartanburg County border.

Phillips, who has collected antiques and other collectibles for more than 17 years, said she simply had too much stuff packed in the many storage areas of her home, making it almost impossible to bring in new items she desired to purchase.

"I have been collecting for more than 17 years, but being a 'pack rat' I realized that me keeping everything would not work," Phillips said. "So we felt what better way to get rid of some of the things than sell it at an antique shop."

While most would go through the process of renting a building for their business, Phillips and her husband decided to build a 1,400-square foot building close to their home. The structure, which resembles a red barn, is chock full of thousands of figurines, glass and china dating back to the early 1900's.

"People come in here looking for antiques, things which they probably could not find anywhere else," Phillips said. "A lot of these things are items which are rare, impressing a lot of customers as to what is in the store."

The business does not forget about the children either, rolling out a slew of toys and gadgets for children to choose from - the type of which many adults played with years ago.

"This for the most part was to satisfy my grandchildren and those their age by giving them something to look at and possibly find use for," Phillips said. "But it is also amazing how much I have been told by older customers that they played with a certain toy, or purchased something similar. "

Phillips continues to bring more items stored in the confines of her home, placing them on the store shelves for people to view and possibly buy. But some of the items hold a special place in her heart, making them hard to give up.

"I sometimes do have an attachment to certain items, even though I have the knowledge that they must go," Phillips said.

High Point Antiques & Collectibles is located on 118 Dale Drive, a little more than a mile off of Highway 29.

For more information, call Phillips at 489-8156.