I spent the weekend exploring antique and vintage shops with a friend, traveling from Huntington through Beckley and up toward Morgantown. Out of the many places we visited, this was by far the most disappointing--easily the worst in the state.
The area has so many great antique stores, but unfortunately, places like this seem to be popping up everywhere without maintaining any real standards.
This shop was in very poor condition. It was dirty, not climate controlled, and extremely disorganized. The layout made no sense--there was no signage, no maps, and navigating the space felt like wandering through a cluttered maze. Basic improvements like painting, organizing vendor spaces, and adding cooling would make a huge difference. Even on a cool day (we had just gotten snow), the building felt like an oven.
There were also clear maintenance issues. At some point, the roof had been leaking--there was water on the floor and trash cans set out to catch drips, which is a serious safety hazard. The place smells like a septic tank burst. Is it that the building needs cleaned? The trash cans collecting water from the leaking roof? Or just poor-quality items.
I spoke with a few vendors who were restocking, and their feedback was concerning. Many said they are actively trying to leave and are waiting for openings at other locations. They described a lack of support from ownership, and multiple vendors mentioned that management is essentially nonexistent.
Some even said that if the owner removed their own inventory, the building would feel nearly empty due to the lack of vendors.
Unlike nearly every other shop we visited, there was no visible owner or manager present. When I asked an employee about it, they said: "I don't know where she is or when she will be here. Your guess is as good as ours." That really reflects the level of disengagement here.
I also learned the store is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, while most other similar places operate seven days a week. Vendors also mentioned a lack of advertising, noting that online posts tend to focus only on the owner's items rather than promoting the vendors.
If you're looking for a better experience, I'd recommend going elsewhere. There are far better-run flea markets and antique shops in the area that are organized, well-maintained, and have active management on site. A goodwill or union mission have better items, a clean building, and they don't smell like a busted septic tank.
Overall, I'd avoid this place. The issues seem systemic, and unless there are major changes in management and upkeep, it's hard to see it improving anytime soon. This place needs to hire someone with leadership experience and a successful entrepreneur to make it successful.
The consensus from vendors, employees, locals, and owners and employees at other similar shops are the same. Avoid Eclectic due to the reasons mentioned above. Other owners and prior vendors reiterate that this place doesn't have many vendors, and the building is full of the owners' junk. Eliminate ownerships junk and you have maybe 5 legitimate vendors. I was even told a long-time vendor, there longer than the owner recently left for a new similar business due to numerous complaints and issues. read more
