Yahoo Finance Petersburg, new biz: Buy unusual, rare, intriguing items in circa 1810 historic space
PETERSBURG — A new, cool business opened in a Federal brick dwelling originally built circa 1810 as a mercantile grocery. Like Market 406 which occupied the space previously, Nothing So Strange curiosity shop carries a range of merchandise.
Petersburgers may remember... at Market 406, shoppers could purchase tools, suits, sinks, dresses, toys, lumber by the foot and more at the antique, vintage and salvage shop owned and operated by Joan Gardiner from 2013 until the early stages of the COVID pandemic in 2020.
Like Gardiner once did, Nothing So Strange owner Kathy Walker resides in the second-floor apartment above her eclectic shop filled with unusual, rare and intriguing items. Since 2004, Walker and her husband had talked about moving to Old Towne. Finally, when the time was right, they purchased the historic building and opted to not have the storefront remain empty.
"We love it here," Walker said. "I have always thought it would be fun to have a weird, funky, strange little curiosity and oddities shop."
Petersburg: Nothing So Strange curiosity shop
"We have all sorts of fun things, many with a spooky, mystical odd twist. Old things and new things. Tarot decks and Ouija boards. Clothing you can wear to shows or to goth night. Puzzles, wax stamps, religious icons, unicorns and dragons, pirates and mermaids, fun gifts, tea and tea gear, Day of the Dead figures, paintings and prints. It changes all the time."
Fun, mysterious and macabre décor, vintage religious figurines, air plant jellyfish enamel pins, books and so much more can be purchased in the unique shop which opened in October last year.
"We lucked out and lured Professor Barry Bless to play the accordion at our candy stop during Old Towne's Trick or Treat event," Walker shared. Bless of Richmond is also a fan of oddities.
"My husband and I kept our day jobs," Walker shared. "I work at Randolph-Macon College. The long-term plan is to expand and hold events but that will be down the road a bit." Walker, the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, works in the Provost's office.
Nothing So Strange is located at 406 N. Market Street in Petersburg. The hours are Saturdays noon to 7 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Follow Nothing So Strange on Facebook and Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg, new biz: Shop for curiosities, oddities in historic space
