George
Wagner
Wagner
About George
When you read the history behind
Bahoukas Antique Mall, it will be easy to understand why George was delighted to be asked to take over and maintain the
Historic Havre de Grace
site when Marita was ready to let it go. (Actually, she moved.) They are still in contact and Marita chats with George and visits when back in town.
1996:
First came BAHOUKAS Collectables… opened in 1996. George Wagner (no, his real name is NOT Bahoukas) started in the small shop at 465 Franklin Street in only 200 sq. ft. of retail space. Four years later, in 2000, he moved his store ‘next door’ to the corner space at 467 Franklin Street, expanding his empire to 1200 sq. ft.
2004:
Fast forward another four years to 2004, George purchased this location. BAHOUKAS has always been full to the rafters (if you could find the rafters) with collectables of all sorts!
Sept/Oct 2008:
BAHOUKAS outgrew the original store. So George and Barbara purchased the building across the street (formerly Pitcocks Hardware Store) and opened BAHOUKAS Antique Mall. The new store boasts almost 9,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and their collections include items from 5 other dealers. George also moved the BrewMania MuZeum from the Franklin Street location to the roomy 2nd floor of the Antique Mall. This “Man Cave” area also has an extensive NASCAR section and a sports memorabilia area. Something for everyone! You really must see it to believe it.
You’re Invited To Visit Our
Havre de Grace MuZeum
Enter Bahoukas Antique Mall and be intrigued by the 1500 sq. ft of floor space at the front of our store dedicated to featuring our
Havre de Grace History MuZeum collection. These items are Not For Sale. We love sharing this with our community.
It started in 2008 when George and Barbara Wagner purchased this building – the old
Pitcock Hardware Store
– (see the complete History by CLICKING HERE) and residents began to bring in collectible & historical items (like promotional business and personal items) along with their stories of days gone by. As he shared it on the website and on social media, the local collectibles grew!
Today, our “Casual Historian,” George adds to his Havre de Grace History MuZeum within his antique mall weekly. With more than a dozen display cases and 600 sq. ft. of wall display, we feature Havre de Grace memorabilia, including advertising, directories, photos, and exhibits from a variety of local shops, like drug stores, of years past.
Other displays include items from the Havre de Grace Race Track, the canning industry, a fireworks plant (that blew up in 1960), and several hundred more artifacts, several thousand photos, historical maps, local newspapers from the 1800s to current, and many advertising pieces from businesses of the past.
We have a Burns Bros. Carriage built in this city in 1896 and featured it on a float in our July Independence Day Parade.
We showcase WWI and WWII military uniforms and a memorial to our friend, Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, who resided in Havre de Grace and was killed at the Fort Hood shooting in 2009. You’ll find a Fireman’s parade uniform, high school sweaters and jackets among the memorabilia.
- George and the Havre de Grace History MuZeum have been featured in Harford Magazine, in an article about the “Speakeasy Secrets” – History of Harford’s Prohibition Era Remembered.
- He was also featured on the Chesapeake Collectibles Show (Maryland Public Television) in February 2024 for a Civil War diary connected to the Pitcock Family who owned this building from 1918 to 1988.
- Most importantly, our more recent collections (1940s to today) are researched and tied to earlier history when available. Our blog posts and displays reflect these connections.
After browsing this Historic Havre de Grace website, visit us at Bahoukas.net where you'll find short videos describing items George has received over the years and the stories that came with them.
It is with enthusiastic gratitude that George
delights in each and every piece of memorabilia
received from someone connected to our local history. But, more importantly, the time folks have spent sharing the stories
and memories is most precious.
THANK YOU!
