Thrift & Sweets Tours

Shop & Nosh Your Way through the Ozarks

Thrifting and antiques are worth traveling for — add flea markets, gift shops, and sweet treats to the mix and you have the recipe for a memorable weekend experience! Our two-day Thrift & Sweets Trail itinerary is a useful guide full of helpful suggestions to plan your Pulaski County shopping adventure. Add a bin store or two and you will need to plan three or four days!

Treasures can be found around every bend in Pulaski County. Unique experiences, community art, mouthwatering meals, fascinating history, and amazing views are plentiful as you meander along Pulaski County’s country backroads to peaceful, small towns with quirky charm.

A Vintage Venture

Spend the day wandering into our storefronts. Poke around every corner of our antique stores. Discover colorful murals. Browse an art gallery. Shop our unique boutiques. Soak up the unique history of Waynesville as you stroll the square. Lose yourself in the nostalgic Americana that defines Route 66. Indulge your taste buds at our locally owned restaurants. Indulge your sweet tooth at our coffee shops, cupcakeries, and creameries.

A Memorable Weekend Experience

Of course, this isn’t just a quick jaunt — you’ll need a couple days to antique, explore, and nosh your way through our Thrift & Sweets Trail. Clean and comfortable lodging options are clustered in Saint Robert. Airbnbs and rustic Ozarks resorts dot the countryside throughout Pulaski County. Consider three overnights while planning. We recommend arriving Thursday evening and departing Sunday morning.

Of course, this isn’t a complete list of everything to discover in Pulaski County. Make your weekend plans perfect by customizing your antiquing adventure. Visit our Shopping page to learn more about Pulaski County merchants and discover group crafting events you can weave into your itinerary. Our merchants and restaurateurs are flexible, so their hours may change. Call ahead to confirm hours for the locations that interest you most.

Day 1

Journey along the tracks of the former Frisco Railroad. Two-lane Highway 133 twists though gentle rolling hills of rural, agricultural landscape, connecting the country towns of Dixon, Crocker, and Richland. All these communities — and the “ghost towns” you’ll stumble across along your route — sprang to life in 1869 as the railroad laid its path across northern Pulaski County.

Dixon & Crocker: Railroad Boomtowns

Rummage through Whatever Antiques & Collectibles. This store is stuffed with tchotchkes, retro furniture, housewares, and more. Chat with owners Wanda, Harry, and Aunt Flo during your visit. Knock around The Shop at Stumpy Acres for unique and beautiful vintage wares.

Thrift shop aficionados will want to add Dixon Area Caring Center to their tour. Yard sale pricing makes shopping here even more enticing. Your purchases here also give back to the less fortunate in the Dixon area. Before leaving Dixon, grab an old-fashioned cherry malt at Jackie’s Snackette to savor en route to your next destination!

Triple Creek Antiques is a welcoming antique store full of treasures waiting to be rediscovered. Triple Creek also specializes in primitives. Penaroyal Antiques & Collectibles recently relocated to Crocker, just across the street from the Caboose. They continuously bring in new items discovered at estate sales and auctions.

Before continuing west on Highway 133, dip south on Highway 17 to Bear Ridge Antiques. This beautifully staged antique mall is home to 65 dealers. Treasures overflow in vendor booths that are frequently updated, clean, and inviting. Forage through the outdoor storage compartments, many set up as booths. Tell Morgan we sent you!

Richland: Entrepreneurs Since 1869

After leaving Bear Ridge, backtrack north to Highway 133 West and continue to Richland. Grab a quick bite at The Burger Stand — try the Mr. Neal Burger! This local favorite is a bacon cheeseburger with double bacon and cheese, topped with jalapenos and a fried egg. The Burger Stand doesn’t have indoor seating, so be prepared to dine at one of their shaded picnic tables. Those with an eye for vintage signs will recognize The Burger Stand’s sign as a rare “Curly the Clown” Dairy Queen sign dating to the mid-1950s.

Die-cast collectible fans must treat themselves at Final Stop Die-cast Collectibles & More. This shop specializes in Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning, Green Light, M2, and Ertl products and is guaranteed to bring out the kid in everyone. Next door, you will discover great finds in Final Stop Antiques & Collectables, featuring unique home decor items.

Just down the street from Final Stop is Sanctuary Quilts and Coffee, housed in the architecturally blessed former Methodist Church. Sanctuary has made a name for itself with an abundant selection of fantastic coffee and an impressive quilting room. Don't forget to swing by You Name It Resale for some amazing deals!

A trip to Richland wouldn’t be complete without exploring H.E. Warren Store. Founded by Capt. Henry Ernest Warren in 1869, Richland’s oldest business is still owned and operated by the Warren family more than 150 years later.

Missouri Wines & International Flavors

Round out your day by sampling award-winning craft beers that celebrate life in the Ozarks at Piney River Taproom Brewery in Waynesville. International dining options in Saint Robert include Mardiyama Hibachi & Sushi Bar and Spartan Gyros. Finally, The Hub Restaurant & Lounge has been dishing out delicious German fare since 1971.

Day Two

Spend your second day on our 33 miles of Historic Route 66. The famous Mother Road was commissioned in 1926 and incorporated former Missouri Highway 14, which was the main east-west road in Pulaski County at the time. We recommend grabbing a copy of the Historic Driving Tours and the Waynesville Walking Tour brochure at our Digital Download page to accompany you. Both are available for free at Pulaski County Tourism Bureau & Visitors Center, 137 St. Robert Boulevard, Suite A, Saint Robert.

After a refreshing night’s sleep at one of Pulaski County’s clean, comfortable lodging options, begin your day with a handmade, premium donut from Master Donuts in Saint Robert or Waynesville, or dive into a classic diner breakfast at Route 66 Diner or Flo’s 66 Diner.

Start your day with a stop into the newly renovated Goodwill store then follow Missouri Avenue toward Interstate 44 and head east to Exit 169/J Highway. This is the beginning of the Route 66 self-guided tour through Pulaski County. The brochure will be your roadmap for your thrifting and antique itinerary throughout Day 2 of your trip.

Route 66: America's Mother Road

Start your day's treasure finding journey with a stop at Rustic Treasures, here you will find a great selection to choose from to make your yard spiffy. or venture inside for some unique antiques or gifting ideas.

Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store is a must-stop on Route 66. A cheeky nod to the tourist traps along the highway during its heyday, shop for fresh fudge, nostalgic candy, and novelties. Peruse strange oddities and circus memorabilia at the Sideshow Museum. Roam the grounds for hilarious selfie opportunities!

Next, hop over to Hoppers Pub for lunch. Their menu is packed with pub grub favorites and 66 beers on tap or have a taste of Bavaria at Ursula’s Schnitzelhaus. If you happened to bring a cooler, stock up on European sausages, cheeses, and chocolates from Ursula’s on-site deli.

Lost in the Woods Antiques & Collectibles is veteran-owned and features uptown antiques in downtown Waynesville. Music from the 1950s plays on their Wurlitzer and free hot coffee is provided for you while you browse. This is a must-visit destination for vintage vinyl junkies!

Downtown Waynesville: Cozy & Cordial

While in downtown Waynesville, explore the 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum and the Old Stagecoach Stop. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operate small gift shops on site. Pop into Just Because — an all-occasion gift basket store — Eclectic Originals, Westside Boutique, or Bare Bum Essentials. If you’re here on Saturday, stop by the Roubidoux Campground for the Pulaski County Farmers Market. You’re bound to find a deal or two and even some locally roasted coffee!

For an afternoon pick-me-up feed your dragon with coffee and muffins or pies at Drachenfutter. Loaf bread and mulling spices are also available. Comic Hoarderz is worth a visit too!

Feel-Good Shopping & Comfort Food

For more feel-good thrift shopping stop at Good Samaritan of the Ozarks Thrift Store. Proceeds from the thrift store aid victims of domestic violence.

A quilt shop, the Thread Peddler, has antiques dotted through out the store for sale. Bertha's shop is in the area known as Buckhorn. Be sure to call ahead and see if she's open and when you do, ask if her antique shed is open for shopping!

Close out your afternoon at, the Gascozark Flea Market (open on Saturdays). Don’t let the Richland addresses confuse you. The shops are near Historic Route 66, in areas known as Buckhorn and Laquey.

At the junction of Highway AB and Interstate 44 head east to Saint Robert for dinner. For a taste of the Ozarks try Sweetwater B-B-Q. Other local favorites include Route 66 Taco & Wing Company and Z Loft Bar & Grill.

Extend Your Stay — Hit the Bins!

Make Pulaski County your home base to visit numerous bin stores within a one-hour radius! Head west on Day 3 and find your deals, come back to Saint Robert for the night, then head east for the fourth day of shopping delight!