Albany Antique Mall — Attraction in Albany

I had high hopes for this antique mall after reading so many good reviews on yelp. Sadly, I received poor service and not much of interest. I called ahead looming for a specific type of item and was told by the man who answered that they might have it. I figured it's a pretty big place and they do consignment so that's alright I will take a look for myself. Before I got to say anything further (I was thinking him for the information) he hung up. I gave him the benefit of the doubt that maybe the line dropped and went on my way to check out the store. I arrived to a couple of people purchasing items with one employee and the other idle. There was no greeting or anything along those lines just a stare. Again I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I dress in all black and do my makeup a bit differently but I am a potential customer nonetheless. I walked around searching for the specific item and eventually found a section that had a couple of options. Finding them required looking through piles of junk. It seems like different sections are different people's consigned goods but they could afford to be a little more picky. Some sections are full of great-grandmas old figurines and plastic knick knacks. I did add a star as there were a few items that were very nice in the mix of things. In particular their back rooms on the first floor were pretty well kept. As I walked down the hall back toward the entrance after looking around there was another employee who was staring at me. He didn't bother saying anything. He just stood in the hallway and stared at me for some reason. At this point I had been in the store for quite some time if I was going to do something wrong it would have been pretty obvious at this point. I assume he just wanted me to leave. I went back to the front where both employees were not busy and looked around wondering if they would say anything to the one customer left. They did not. No hello, no goodbye, no asking if they could help, nothing. Other customers who were there before me were greeted and talked to but I was ignored presumably because they assumed the worst of me. I left and went on my way. I will never go back for the multiple layers of poor service and...

The Albany Antique Mall in downtown Albany, Oregon is a gem. Two floors, 20,000 sq. feet with over 100 different vendors so plan to immerse yourself for an hour or two. Yes, staff wander the floor. Vendors can trust that their items are well tended so there are a broad variety of items and price points for sale. Love it! I often receive an offer to place my items in a box with my name on it while I continue to look and shop hands free. Great customer service, especially if I am in one of the upstairs nooks and they are willing to run my items downstairs. I especially love the walls of the back staircase (always interesting mirrors and artwork) and the architectural salvage room. You’ll also find Americana, Southwest, Military, SERIOUS amounts of Vintage Clothing, Signage, Furniture, Gadgets, Antique Toys & Collectibles, Linens, Dishes, Ethnic, Lighting, Fiesta Ware, Photography. A selection of beautiful reproduction glass knobs in a variety of colors is located at the base of the central staircase. Yes, there is a lot to see but it still feels orderly without the buzz of too much sensory overload. Be kind, be patient if they are busy. I have consistently received assistance to remove an item from a booth or help with load out when requested. I politely wait my turn. They are responsive. No issue.

PS: If you want to make a day of it, Sprinkles Bakery (GF options) and Margin Coffee are right across the street along with Novak’s restaurant. Urban Ag just a few blocks up is a sweet spot for houseplant enthusiasts. Pix Theater is fantastic. If you stop at The Carousel Museum, be sure to do downstairs to see the carving room and workshop if it’s open! It’s great fun to see all of the animals in process as well as the...

Arguably the best antique store in Oregon. Check out the upstairs for an awesome selection of vintage clothing! Each time I visit Albany, I make sure to stop by this store and find some vintage gems. Now, the reason for two stars is the caveats: my pet peeve is bad manners/rudeness, and the girl with the long hair has extremely poor people skills. At least TRY to greet and say "something" to customers; otherwise, if you don't like people, why work in retail? The owner (or manager?) seemed to follow customers around, which was a little annoying. It gave the impression of checking for shoplifting under the guise of "helpfulness" yet it happened to be excessive. Sir, you really don't need to check on me twice under 15 minutes, I promise you. Like I said, the people skills are off, but if you can look past the awkwardness/semi-rudeness and appreciate the many antique items, it's worth the trip. One important tip: before you pay, double check the tags, because they take them off at the counter, mix them with other labels, and your receipt doesn't reflect the individual price(s) of items you're buying, just the total. I know they overcharged me on two items for certain: the charged me 30.00 each for two items that were 29.00 each. Pretty sure they overcharged me more than two bucks for the other items I bought, but I don't have proof. So, just be aware. Seriously, double check all items...