Junk Gypsy and Round Top: The Store That Became a Legend
Junk Gypsy and Round Top: The Store That Became a Legend
If there's one store that embodies the spirit of Round Top, it's Junk Gypsy. Founded by sisters Amie and Jolie Sikes, this iconic shop on Highway 237 has become a must-visit destination — even for people who aren't antique shopping.
The Story
The Sikes sisters grew up in the Round Top area and turned their love of vintage, junk, and western culture into a brand that now includes an HGTV show ("Junk Gypsies"), a book, a clothing line, and the most Instagram-famous store in Round Top.
Their shop is packed with cowboy hats, boots, lamps, vintage signs, taxidermy, and their signature blend of rebellious, romantic, western-meets-bohemian style. It's loud, crowded, colorful, and impossible not to smile in.
Why the Sisters Chose Round Top
In a conversation filmed for a popular travel show, Amie and Jolie explained what drew them here permanently. "We kept coming back for the Antique Show and so we just decided that Round Top was calling our names," they said. What started as regular visits for antique week turned into a full relocation of their business to the town they fell in love with.
Their passion for what they do is infectious. As Jolie described it: "We've always had a passion for junk. We love old stuff — we feel like it has a story to tell, and we love the hunt for junk. It really is an adrenaline rush. For all of us junkers, there's just this high you get when you drive by a junk store or a thrift store or a flea market. It's like you're a pirate and you found the treasure."
That philosophy — that junk has a story, that old things deserve new life — is the foundation of everything they've built.
What to Expect
- The store is always busy — especially during show weeks. It draws visitors of all ages.
- It's a browsing experience as much as a shopping destination. Plan at least 30-45 minutes.
- Cowboy hats are the signature item — if you want the Round Top look, this is where to get it
- Indoor restrooms are available (a rarity along the corridor!)
- Free parking on gravel
- "A little bit of everything" — as the sisters put it, they like to mix their love of junk with old stuff and new stuff alike
More Than a Store: A Round Top Institution
Junk Gypsy has become inseparable from Round Top's identity. The Sikes sisters are frequently called upon to show visitors around town, and their perspective on Round Top reveals why the town resonates so deeply with creative types.
"Round Top is the kind of quintessential small town, but then it's not at all," Amie explained. "It's really a different type of country. There's so much culture, and the arts, and the pubs, and the food." During the twice-yearly antique show, she and Jolie describe Round Top as "Ground Zero" for junk lovers — "the mecca where the whole world comes."
But it's the off-season that the sisters treasure most. "You can slow down in Round Top," Jolie noted. And they practice what they preach — in one memorable interview, they hosted a visitor on the store's front porch for corn-can shooting with a BB gun. That's the kind of place Junk Gypsy is.
The Junk-O-Rama Prom
One of Round Top's most unique events is the annual Junk-O-Rama Prom, hosted by Junk Gypsy during antique week. What started a decade ago as an event to "honor the forgotten beauty and glory of vintage prom dresses" has evolved into something much wilder.
Attendees go all out with costumes — visitors report that the outfits at Junk-O-Rama Prom are "way better than the outfits of my high school prom." The event features live bands, food, and dancing in a setting that perfectly captures the playful, irreverent spirit of both the store and the town. Tickets are around $40 and sell out fast, so plan ahead if this is on your list.
The Gypsy Philosophy
What makes Junk Gypsy stand out from the hundreds of other vendors along the Round Top corridor is the sisters' genuine belief that creativity should be accessible and fun. Their style isn't about perfection — it's about mixing the unexpected, celebrating imperfection, and finding beauty in things other people might overlook.
Experienced shoppers recommend visiting Junk Gypsy even if you don't plan to buy anything. The store itself is an experience — an immersive celebration of western culture, vintage Americana, and creative self-expression that sets the tone for the rest of your Round Top trip.
Getting There
Junk Gypsy is located on Highway 237 between Round Top and Warrenton. Free gravel parking right at the store. Open year-round, so you can visit even when the antique show isn't running.
Visit the Junk Gypsy Company vendor page on Round Top Finder for hours and details, or find their location on the interactive map. You can also browse other vendors along the corridor to plan your full shopping route.
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Browse all venues on the interactive map or download the Round Top Finder app to plan your trip.