Harleysville, Pa — Inside a 150-year-old, four-story barn in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, The Barn Attic offers the kind of treasure hunt that keeps shoppers wandering from room to room. The longtime retail destination sells a little bit of everything, from practical household odds and ends to rare vintage finds. “You can find everything from that Crock-Pot lid that you busted to an Edwardian necklace,” says Tina Richards. “It’s a wide range.”
Richards, the daughter of owner and curator Mary Lou Richards, works as the Boutique and Entertainment Industry Sales Specialist, helping guide visitors through the barn’s sprawling and carefully organized inventory.
The building began as an auction house run by Mary Lou’s parents. About six decades ago, Mary Lou turned the space into a retail business packed with collections, curiosities, furniture and countless one-of-a-kind pieces. “Some people have referred to it as a museum,” Richards says. “And I say, yes, it’s a museum, but everything is the gift shop.”
Each of the barn’s four floors has its own focus. The first floor, which is the only climate-controlled area, holds the vintage clothing collection. “My oldest pieces is from about the 1890s,” Richards says. Furniture fills the second floor, while the third floor features display cases stretching from floor to ceiling with collections, jewelry, trinkets and more. Smaller furniture pieces can be found on the top floor.
Despite the sheer volume of items, The Barn Attic has an order to it. “There is a system. Jewelry is by color,” Richards explains. “Things are by subject as well, so unicorns will be in their own subject—John Deere tractors, cows, leprechaun things, swans, nativity scenes.” And when shoppers arrive with something specific in mind, Mary Lou usually knows exactly where to find it.
Because most of the barn is not climate controlled, The Barn Attic may close during extreme weather. Visitors are encouraged to check the store’s website for current hours before making the trip.
