By Betsy Brewer Brantner
Contributing Writer

A visit to Wright’s Barn Shoppes is a great way to spend a cold, winter day.

There are 60 vendors set up in this beautifully refurbished barn at 3616 Limestone Road (Route 10) in Parkesburg. The displays are beautifully set up and the shops are easy to browse through. You might want to pack a lunch, because you could be there for hours.

It’s not just for people who want to buy—although you will want to buy with so many interesting items for sale. Wright’s Barn Shoppes is for people who enjoy going through their grandparents’ attics or for the recycling artist who wants to repurpose an old window or an old door. And it’s certainly for those who are looking for something unique. With offerings from 60 vendors to choose from, you will find something in your price range.

The on-site guide for the shoppe is John Bramble and he is part of the charm of the place. He will welcome you and give you a brownie he just baked. He also is well-versed in absolutely everything and, trust me, if you don’t see something you are looking for, he can find it.

If you are really lucky, you might run into Nancy Sheehan who is John’s sidekick. Sheehan handles the social media and is also a vendor herself.

“We just celebrated our six-year anniversary in November,” she said. “The shoppes are just filled with amazing finds. I myself sell furniture, antiques, and more. David and Maria Wright are the owners of the property and are very cooperative with us.”

The second floor of the barn houses Belle Rustique which is a showroom for farmhouse furniture and they also do custom orders.

It is fun just to stroll through if you are a collector of, say, Fiesta Ware. Or maybe you are looking for an old tool that might actually look good on your wall. And if it is a rocking chair you are looking for, they have a one-of-a-kind rocker that is actually a piece of art you can relax in. If you are a crafter, like some of us, you can get lots of new ideas for projects. Or you can buy a one-of-a-kind handmade creation.

It is probably the one place even non-shoppers would like to visit. Be sure and ask where all the rooms are because you don’t want to miss any. But beware—few people can just come to look and not buy. You may not even know you always needed something, but when you find it at Wright’s Barn Shoppes, you’ll know it’s something you don’t want to live without.

It would be hard to list everything they have, but here is a sampling of what you can find: furniture, chandeliers, costume jewelry and estate jewelry, rabbits, chickens and bunnies statues, dishes like your mama used back in the day, beautiful old doors, farm implements, and Eldreth pottery. And that is just a small sampling of what is available.

It is a great way to get in some exercise with a long, leisurely stroll through the shops. The barn is huge and you may even get lost, but you will find your way back to the cashier with your selections.

You will also meet some great, helpful people—people who have their own locations in Wright’s Barn Shoppes and take their turns working there. 

Many shoppers make return visits and bring friends and family who will also fall in love with things they never knew they needed.

Don’t think of it as shopping. Think of it as taking a trip back to your youth, or visiting a museum. It is like that. It is educational and there is no admission.  

For more information, check out their Facebook at WrightsBarnShoppesLTD or call 610-857-2982.