JACKSON, MI – A new antique mall has opened in Jackson, offering an array of vintage finds for thrifters, collectors and fans of all things old. Forgotten Generations Antique Mall opened in the basement of The Commercial Exchange Building, 2301 E. Michigan Ave. The mall features 10,000 square feet of antiques. “Everybody loves the space, and they’re just waiting for us to go bigger, and that’s in the works,” Owner Shawn Whitehead said. Related: Antique mall, art vendors moving into Commercial Exchange Building in Jackson Whitehead and his wife Heather have run Forgotten Generations Estate Sales for three years. After customers and antique dealers asked the Whiteheads about potential antique malls in Jackson, they decided to offer a space of their own. “And then when we found this space, it just clicked,” Whitehead said. Construction began in January, with new electrical work and bathrooms being installed. Vendors decorated their booths and held a grand opening on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23. The space offers 44 vendors to shop from. Shoppers can browse through jewelry, furniture, art, vintage Legos, military items and other antiques. Around 500 people showed up the first day. Whitehead said he enjoys interacting with the customers, who seem impressed by the space and the historic building’s industrial look, he said. “It gives you that old, rustic, antique feel,” Whitehead said. “The people just kept looking up at the building’s features, how it was constructed, the beams that are put in place and the brick walls.” Forgotten Generations Antique Mall hope to further expand the business, and plan to begin construction on an additional 8,000 square feet in the next couple months. Eventually, they hope to offer 40,000 square feet of antiques, truly making it a destination in Jackson, he said. Forgotten Generations Antique Mall is one of many tenants that operate out of The Commercial Exchange Building. Cameron Meininger bought the building in 2024 with plans to turn it into a mixed-use development. Related: Commercial Exchange Building has new owner. See what’s planned for the historic building Future plans call for developing an adjacent three-floor building into market-rate apartments. Construction of these apartments will likely take place in 2027. Meininger would also like to add golf simulators, mini-golf and other indoor sports into the facility. The building’s courtyard is planned to be used for events, such as weddings. graduation parties and smaller festivals, he said. The Commercial Exchange Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 and has a history in manufacturing dating back to the late 1800s. Through the years, it housed the Jackson Automobile Co. and Sparks-Withington Co., later known as Sparton Corp., which made radios, TVs and other items before focusing on defense work. Related: Historic Jackson building where cars, radios, TVs & war products were built is up for auction Laurice LaZebnik and her husband Robert purchased the building from Sparton Corp. in 1961. After Robert’s death, she sold the building to Meininger in 2024. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Jackson” daily newsletter.