Schiller's Architectural and Design Salvage — Local services in Tampa

The place is AMAZING... so many things it's almost overwhelming. However, the owner Larry... does not have great customer service skills. We went on Saturday, and they had two people, including Larry working. TWO for the entire store!!! I asked a young lady for help, which was is beyond overwhelmed with other customers. When she was able to help me, I asked her for what I was looking for, something I saw on their website. She called Larry to ask him where it might be located. He told her it's either in hardware or his office, but she'd have to look. She helped looked for the piece but couldn't find it. She asked him to come over to help us when he was finished w/ cutting a piece of wood, he agreed. We waited for over 15 minutes while we looked through every box of hardware. I finally caught up w/ Larry who was in his office checking a customer out. Since they don't have a centralized check out. He looked at me, and asked if I was following him. I told him the young lady said he'd be on his way after he cut a piece of wood.. and he told me "You need more patience!!!" I told him how long we had been waiting and he said he had more customers he needed to help, i.e. to take their money. I will NEVER go back! The architectural place in Sarasota has MUCH better...

As seen on "Bored Housewives of South Tampa", this place is perfect for those with deep pockets that are looking to hop onto the "picking" and salvage trend that's so hot on HGTV right now! Have you been looking for a piece that looks like it was fished out of a landfill but you are simply too proud and wealthy to go curb shopping on your own time? Well come on down to Schiller's where you can pay an exorbitant markup on what's essentially, termite and demolish damaged conversation pieces! Dig through layers of dust and insect excrement to find that $225 per linear ft piece of damaged wood to use as a sculptural accent. Make your friends and family second guess the soundness of your financial decision making and have them feel terribly uncomfortable when you shoehorn into conversation the questionable backstory of your one-of-a-kind "found" piece! Just try to ignore their scoffs and protests of "you're crazy" when you tell them what you paid for it - that's just their jealousy...

One of the most astonishing places you’ll ever see in your lifetime, especially if you dig old stuff. They are only open to the public on weekend (otherwise you can make an appointment) and there’s SO much to see that you may as well bring a snack and plan on being there for the day. From 19th century French hand-carved wood storefronts to antique beach cruisers to early 20th century stained glass rotundas carefully taken from a stately bank or department store that’s now a parking lot to a pile of cast iron hinges, if you can’t find it at Schiller’s, it might not actually exist. The staff is as knowledgeable as you’d expect in this rare museum of the history of the world all available for purchase. And there’s always new reasons to stop in and...