Architectural Salvage by Ri-Jo

I have a problem and I'm willing to admit it. I love thrifting. I am an addict. Yet, I am a peculiar addict. I love the thrill of a find more than the actual find. More often than not, I walk out without anything. I have a rule, I have to absolutely love it for me to buy it. I have to be able to visualize it in an altered state (new paint, new upholostery, etc) or it has to be almost perfect. I really don't want to fix anything anymore. (Of course, I always make exceptions and can justify anything!)

A couple of weeks ago, Jessica Morgan and I made the trek to Mena, Arkansas. Mena, fo' real. What would possess us to drive two hours to Mena? Ah, the thrill of a hunt. Specifically, Architectural Salvage by Ri-Jo. We were like two girls in a candy shop. Doors, windows, trim, beams, newel posts, sinks, iron work, door knobs, I could go on. I didn't know quite where to start and easily became overwhelmed. Here is my review of this little gem of a place!

I have several positives for the shop. 1. It was clean and organized very nicely. He treated each piece with care and obviously respected it. Items were grouped with like items and by condition. 2. Richard was very helpful, he would provide information about certain pieces and I enjoyed the fact that a lot of things had some from Hot Springs. 3. Items were clean. Enough said. 4. A great selection. A treasure trove of unique items makes it worth the trip. My only negative comment would be that none of the items are priced. If you want to know the price you have to ask. Not a big deal, but I really like to know if I can afford it before I really fall in love with it. Personally, it makes shopping more difficult in an already overwhelming place.

I ended up buying three doors and a riddling rack. Two of the doors are old 6 panel doors to be on barn door sliders. The other door is a unique three paneled door with glass. That will be our pantry door and it will be on a slider, as well. And the riddling rack came from an upstate New York winery. Oh, what's a riddling rack, you ask? Also known as a pupitres, it is a traditional way to store wine and to be able to rotate it. The picture is an example of one (borrowed from Napa Style). They had two more left...

So, if you want to visit Architectural Salvage by Ri-Jo, they are open Thursday-Saturday. It's worth the trip and I'm already planning my next trip!