Vintage Furniture Store in Long Beach: Urban Americana Daily

Urban Americana is open 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week, at 1345 Coronado Ave, Long Beach, CA 90804, and its phone is 562-494-7300. This vintage furniture store is a 16,000-square-foot mid-century warehouse in the Zaferia Design District, and the shop's own listings show how wide the price range runs: a mid-century sideboard credenza is $395, a pair of Bertoia-style chrome bar stools is $450, and a 1967 RCA Victor console is $1,050. Every item in the online store can also be found on the retail floor, so you can check a piece in person before paying.

Urban Americana describes itself as an antique and design collective: a shared space for like-minded, passionate, creative small business owners who want a common roof to improve their businesses. In practice that means a big warehouse filled with antique dealers, artisans and vintage-inspired goods, each with their own corner. The shop's site says the warehouse stretches more than 16,000 square feet and houses over 40 different dealers.

The address puts it in the Zaferia Design District of Long Beach, a name the shop uses for its own neighborhood, and the shop calls the building a mid-century warehouse. Long Beach sits in Los Angeles County, so it counts as a true LA-area stop for anyone driving south for furniture. Most visitors arrive by car, which also makes it easier to take a small lamp, a mirror or a stack of art home the same day.

The store carries furniture in seating, tables and storage, table and floor lamps, rugs, art, mirrors, pottery, architectural pieces, tabletop items, signs, fireplaces, and outdoor furniture and decor. Styles run across mid-century modern, farmhouse, vintage industrial and eclectic, which is what you would expect when more than 40 dealers each buy to their own taste.

Pricing on the website gives a feel for the mix. A vintage industrial wood wagon cart coffee table is $1,095, a pair of Bertoia-style chrome bar stools is $450, a mid-century sideboard credenza is $395, and the 1967 RCA Victor console is $1,050. Those are examples from the online store, and because the retail floor and website share the same inventory, an item you spot online can usually be found on the floor, though the shop warns that stock occasionally sells before a listing comes down.

The Ordering Info page lays out the rules clearly. Urban Americana accepts cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and PayPal with a confirmed address. A tax of 10.25 percent is added on purchases shipped within California and on items picked up at the Long Beach location. And because the goods are antique and vintage, everything is sold as is, with no returns accepted.

That last rule shapes how you should shop. Ask the dealer or staff for detailed photographs of anything you are buying online, and look closely at wiring on any lamp. The shop itself recommends having electrical items professionally inspected by a licensed electrician. If you shop in person, you can test drawers, check joinery and sit on the chairs before paying.

Delivery is the practical question with a warehouse this size. The Shipping page says local pickup is free: once you have paid, the shop can hold your item in the warehouse until it is convenient for you to collect it. If you are within 100 miles of the location, the shop can deliver, and it asks for your city, zip code and details such as stairs so it can quote the job. For anywhere farther, request a quote before purchase and the shop will contact its white glove shipping company.

The page does not list delivery fees, so call 562-494-7300 or email sales@urbanamericana.com for a quote before you commit to a large piece. Measure the doorway, the stairwell and the car or truck you are bringing before you pay for a console or a credenza.

Because the doors are open every day from 10 am to 6 pm, there is no wrong day, though weekdays suit slow, careful inspection of large pieces. Give yourself at least an hour, since 40 dealers in 16,000 square feet is a lot of corners to turn. Start with a loop of the whole floor before buying anything, because the same style of piece may appear in several booths at different prices.

A candid judgment: skip anything that needs rewiring unless you are comfortable paying an electrician, since the shop itself points out that electrical items should be checked. If your budget is under $500, aim for sideboards and bar stools, where the posted pieces at $395 and $450 show that real furniture is within reach. And if you want a gallery-style experience instead of a dealer warehouse, Pop Up Home on North Western Avenue in Los Angeles is a more formal, curated alternative.

Once you have finished at the warehouse, Long Beach has more to offer than furniture. Retro Row, along East 4th Street, is known for vintage clothing, record and book shops and cafes, and the Long Beach Museum of Art at 2300 E Ocean Blvd sits above the water if you want a gentler stop. Neither is required, but both make the drive from Los Angeles feel worth it.

Plan the day so that the furniture comes last. Browse the shops and have lunch first, then come to the warehouse before it closes at 6 pm, load up on small items if you are driving, and arrange pickup or delivery for anything big on your way out.

Address: 1345 Coronado Ave., Long Beach, CA 90804. Hours: open 7 days a week, 10 am to 6 pm. Phone: 562-494-7300. Email: sales@urbanamericana.com. Payment: cash, checks, major cards and PayPal. Sales are as is with no returns, and tax is 10.25 percent on California purchases. Prices on this page come from urbanamericana.com. Karpo APP can help you plan the rest of your Long Beach day around the warehouse.