Vintage vogue: Mining a one-of-a-kind antique mall

John Sommers pops into the Pacific Galleries Antique Mall in Seattle's Sodo district on a weekly basis to hunt for midcentury modern finds.

Rourke Smith comes in less often to check out Victorian and folk pieces he may be able to resell.

Amanda Copeland just started shopping at Pacific Galleries with her mother to learn about silver antiques, and she also has her eye on a rug.

Its customers' tastes may be distinct, but with more than 200 designers and antiques dealers, Pacific Galleries accommodates just about every shopper's style.

In two years, Pacific Galleries Antique Mall has become one of the premiere destinations for antiques and vintage items in the Pacific Northwest.

The mall, which is an offshoot of the auction house (see story on page 8), has done so by offering a staggering variety and depth of antique and vintage styles in its expansive warehouse space.

Something for everyone

An aisle of glass cases might tempt customers with a $15 pair of women's pumps, an Amberina decanter for $165 or estate jewelry. A French marble-top table labeled Napoleon III 1850-70 and priced at $9,500 sits across from a midcentury modern display that includes sleek Eames chairs and teak wood furniture.

"If I was an interior designer, I'd definitely come here," Smith said. "There's such an array of things."

Sommers loves to visit the mall.

"I'm a collector, and this stuff makes me feel good," he said.

Other shoppers include urbanites adding to their midcentury modern collections, people cruising the aisles on their lunch breaks, designers and others looking for a unique piece.

Patty Green, who rents a space at Pacific Galleries and also owns Issaquah antiques store Sisters, often sends her clients here.

"It's such a diverse presentation," she said. "I tell people, 'You may not like Asian antiques or you may not like midcentury, but you'll come away with a real appreciation for it.' "

Prices range from low- to high-end. Lynn Kenyon, chief operations officer for Pacific Galleries, said the goal is to have a wide variety of choices and price levels.

Changing times, changing tastes

Pacific Galleries also reflects changing tastes. Midcentury modern furniture has become the rage in home décor over the past few years, and the mall now carries roughly 10 dealers for that particular style.

But the dealers are carefully managed so there is balance to the choice, and Kenyon does not want the space overloaded with one specific style.

The space is intended to appeal to those who have never considered antiques before, as well as to collectors.

"We don't want it just to be a storage unit," Kenyon said. "We want it to be highly decorated spaces that inspire other people to do different things."

Corey Gutch, who lives on Capitol Hill, goes to Pacific Galleries once or twice a month to see what midcentury modern dealers have brought in. The quality of pieces varies, he said, although they don't carry junk. But pieces in good condition are usually priced to reflect that.

"It seems like every time I go there, there's something new," Gutch said.

Pacific Galleries is ideal for people who want to buy several pieces, said collector and amateur dealer Smith, but if he wanted a spectacular piece from a specific era, like a French armoire, he said, he would shop at a smaller, specialty store.

But the mall has grown well, he said. Smith was unsure when it first opened whether Pacific Galleries could fill the massive space.

"Over time, it's getting better and better," he said.

Pacific Galleries has served as a sort of school on antique silver for Copeland, 30. She and her mother spent hours there on Copeland's first visit. On her second visit, she was on her own.

"I come for the finds," she said.

But collectors sometimes find themselves buying a few too many pieces. John Fox, who rents a space to sell extra furniture in his collection, has trouble controlling himself when he stops by Pacific Galleries to add new items to his booth.

"It's a very hard place to leave empty-handed," he said.

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com