Anthony's Fine Art & Antiques — Attraction in Salt Lake City

SUMMARY: Severely poor customer service. And over all poor interaction with someone that is associated with the business.

The novel below details the experience.

I have visited Antique stores all around the country. One of my favorite pass times is finding treasures and exploring their history. That they exist now, in this age; while having seen decades upon decades of human existence is so deliciously fascinating. It makes each item come alive in-a-way only that which is Antique could. I love supporting the people that share a similar passion. However, my first experience with this shop has hands down been the absolute worst experience I have ever encountered while exploring. And I didn't even make it to the entrance door.

After a morning of chaos even before breakfast, I decided to go explore the city. It was early and one of my favorite shops wasn't opened yet. So, while driving I came across a couple Antique shops on the corner. Perfect! I seen some cars parked in the lot and on the side of the road, so I thought they might be open. I pulled in for a moment to check the maps data just to be sure. It was around 8:30, and sure enough... they were closed and opened at 10. I noticed that it had a kind of low review score. People that love antiques, aren't normally so critical; I thought. So I scanned the reviews for a moment before leaving to continue my adventure. A couple 5stars of general praise for the collection. Then a 1 star. I started scanning it for the main points. And got to the part about really really terrible customer service. No more than 5 seconds later, a car pulls up next to me. The person ushered me to speak so I rolled down my window. He started pointing at the 'parking is for customers' only sign. And it seemed that he was already irritated. I explained that I was looking to see when the shop opened, all smiles still. Because I was still fairly excited to visit a new shop. All while he was trying to continue with the aggressive behavior. "Do I need to call someone to out a boot on it?" (My car, I assumed). The fact that I had just read a review about the very behavior I was experiencing, had me taken aback momentarily. I hadn't even turned my car off. And the excitement faded to dismay. Just one more gremlin for the morning. And a seemingly sour person trying to make a rage. I wasn't sure what had crawled up the fellows backside, but I just continued to wish him a better day. He must have assumed that I was just going to park there. Hopefully, he isn't like that with everyone. I assumed, he was either the owner or an employee of some sort. If that was the type of person that populated the shop, why would anyone shop there? Negative vibes, do not jive. Nor is it good for a shop.

I love Salt Lake City. As another hobby, I take people all over the Valley, showing them the neatest places, the best food, and an over all great time. Friends, tourists; you name it. I take them to places that breathe magic, and create moments of peace in an already chaotic world. SLC has so much to offer. I have had so many wonderful chats, and experiences with artists and antique dealers alike. From fine art to folk art, museum buffs to college students; sharing stories makes life better.

Comparing my prior experiences to the experience I had a couple days ago... I can't recommend this place to anyone. I don't feel any desire to ever visit it, again. The excitement has been successfully neutered. After some research, I found out that this place has some majorly sketch history. And had tales of its own to tell. No, thanks.

Hopefully, the fellow was just having a bad day. I certainly was, too. A day not made any better by the cranky man in his car. I heard they have a nice looking shop inside. To bad, really.

But the adventure continued. And the day was made wonderful. Haughty folks are kind of a rare find in 2021, and I found that they are not...

This is definitely not your typical antique shop. First of all, the average shopper should probably take Anthony's off of their list of must-sees unless you're in the mood to visit a museum. You can not simply walk in, as you would any other shop; you must ring the bell and then wait for the curator to open the door. Immediately upon entry, you must explain, to the curator, why you've come, and the very puzzled/confused expression on the curators face was a good indicator that "just browsing" was not the correct answer.

I suppose if you're looking to decorate/furnish your newly acquired 50,000+ square ft mansion or add just the right finishing touches to your Victorian or French castle, this may be just the place you're looking for. Be forewarned, however, if you're like me, and would like to know how much a piece costs, before you slap it down on the counter to purchase it, you're in the wrong place. Anthony's is, without question, one of those places where if you have to ask how much it is, you probably can't afford it. And while a few items, comparatively speaking, do display the asking price, far and away, the vast majority do not. And don't touch or "handle" anything (as you're so staunchly directed, prior to being allowed to stroll about the place), in an effort to find a price tag; for the most part, you'll not find one.

We saw only two employees while at Anthony's, so don't look around for someone to ask questions of, as you'll likely not find anyone. There are, however, surveillance cameras throughout to ensure you're minding your p's & and q's (and not touching anything), so I suppose you could go and stand under one of those, while wildly flailing your arms and jumping up and down. You may get someone's attention, and they might even come to your aid... although I don't think I'd bet on it.

Overall, I found Anthony's to be a stuffy, pompous, pretentious little place full of poorly maintained drek. Check out Thomas & Burrows next door... so much more fun, such nicer people, and much...

My husband & I had an exceptional experience here. Micah welcomed us at the door and told us a little about the history of Anthony's Antiques and Fine Arts. We were in awe of the many beautiful, authentic pieces, from paintings to sculptures, to unique furniture, and decorative items. Although it is not a museum, it can certainly be confused with one because the broad spectrum of phenomenal pieces reminded us of one. Anthony shared the background of some of the pieces we admired, explained that one famous painting had long been lost but recently resurfaced. He, Micah and Brett knew where purchases were made, shared the provenance of some, and provided interesting historical facts about the objects we admired. I will never forget a French table we both liked a great deal. We live in another state so, we would have shipping added to it's reasonable cost but the fact is, we have no room for it in our home. Much of the gorgeous, ornate or just fabulous wood furniture was made for grand spaces. We could have spent an entire day there-easily- but explored for 90 minutes or so all the while feeling welcome. This business is retail and yet it is like no other we've ever visited. Brett handled processing our two relatively inexpensive purchases- a spectacular piece of art glass and an antique copper, braided basket for plants or dried flowers, totaling $325 + shipping to our home. We were treated like we'd spent thousands and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! I highly recommend Anthony's Antiques and Fine Arts. (I can only wonder at the negative reviews. One or two may be attributed to someone having a bad day but I believe most of our experiences are a reflection of what we put out in the world.) Understand you are entering (what looks like a museum from the outside) where millions of dollars worth of antiques and fine art are displayed; demonstrate you value and respect that environment and you should discover the same unique and enchanting antique...