Wilson Heritage Merging With Antique Shop

In the 1920s, Amos Judd opened a chrome plating business in Baltimore. In the 1970s, his son took it over and made it an antique shop, moving to Baltimore's then-vibrant Antique Row.

Now, a third generation is making a bigger change, as Amos Judd and Son leaves Baltimore to merge with Wilson Heritage, a Towson institution in itself.

Often confused with the larger Wilson Lighting shop next door, the Heritage shop focuses on repairs and restoration and has always been under separate ownership.

Amos Judd and Son is now mostly run by the founder's grandson, Jay Judd, and deals mostly in antiques and antique repairs for chandeliers and brass fixtures. For 35 years, the family had set up shop on Baltimore's Antique Row on North Howard Street. In the '70s, '80s and '90s, even as Howard Street was well into its long decline following a 1968 riot, Antique Row was bustling.

As Judd recalls, nearly 40 shops operated out of there at one poing. But as the street became more blighted and the Light Rail started rumbling by, business slowed to a trickle.

"Historic Antique Row is really no longer historic Antique Row," he said. "There's really only five left and there's two dress shops. There's a pharmacy. When we were there in the heyday of the '80s and '90s, there was all antique shops. Now it's whatever wants to rent or build."

After years there, the business moved to Antique Row Stalls, then Jay Judd was offered a job at Wilson Heritage, which often worked with Amos Judd and Son to polish chandeliers in the past. After a year, the owner offered to sell, out of the blue. And for Judd and his father James, 82, it seemed like time.

"We had been there 35 years and the brass business was slowing down and everything was slowing down, so it was time to make a change," he said.

Judd plans to move in most of his materials and wares next week. Don't expect any major changes on the outside, however. Not only is the building made of thick concrete, but it was recently added to a county landmarks list. Long before it was Wilson Heritage, the building belonged to Towson Transit and helped power the town's long since defunct streetcars. Even the sign outside is likely to stay there.

As for Judd, he's just happy to have a visible location where he can keep doing what he loves.

The shop at 10 E. Towsontown Blvd. is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.