Spokane, WA

Chances are, you’ve driven past it. You know what I’m talking about; the antique store with statues of bald eagles, lions and dogs bigger than a car. The antique store that holds some of the largest and most unusual things you’ve even seen, but have never taken the time to appreciate. Well the time has come. It’s time to visit the old, the giant and the bizarre at Northwest Ruins.

The antique store is located on 104 E. Mission Avenue, and is recognized as both Northwest Ruins and Ruby Street Antiques. The store has tempted travelers the city over as they make their daily commute to and from the North side of Spokane. Being one such traveler myself, I feel curious and mystified each time I drive past the store, getting only a quick glimpse at the treasures is has to offer.

Tired of only seeing a piece of the pie, I finally decided to stop into the antique store. My excuse for visiting was that I recently moved into a new apartment and was looking for home d√©cor. What I found was so much more than I bargained for. Not only does the store have monstrously large items, but it has a monstrous amount of items! The store has two houses, one garage, and approximately two and half yards filled with antiques varying from cast iron, bronze, marble, stone, granite and artwork. Walking through the entire store is like entering a maze into the unknown. You never know what you’re going to find or what you’ll run into.

Here’s just a sample of what the store has to offer: a drum the size of two Volkswagen Bugs, two industrial statues of the horror movie villains Aliens and Predator, statues of mermaids, iron gates, planters, seats and tables.

Luckily, there are friendly store employees that can help you through the maze, answer any questions and direct you toward what you’re looking for. Although I didn’t make a purchase for the day I was happy to have stopped by. After an hour and a half of sight seeing I walked away with new ideas for decorating my home, and a fat wish-list for Christmas!