How to "do Lucketts" the right way

{photo courtesy of Marian Parsons}

The Old Lucketts Store has been called a treasure trove, the mother load, a rabbit warren of rooms, and my favorite... that the store makes people feel like they're Alice in Wonderland.  Based on questions we get at the counter, calls that come in, and conversations we overhear, we thought we'd pull together a few ideas on how to make the most of your visit to the shop.

Make a To Buy List.  We know some of you come from far away to visit our store.  Nothing is worse than getting to the store, being overwhelmed and remembering on the drive home that you forgot something.  Before you make the trek to the Old Lucketts Store, make a list of who you need to buy for and the types of things you're looking to buy (furniture?  art? quirky gifts?) .

We Can Help You.  Stop by the cashier desk and ask for a tape measure if you need one.  Heck, we'll even throw in a pen and paper to write things down for free.  We get questions about how to care for items and where to find things all the time.  We'll do our best to answer any questions you have. 

We Have Three Floors and Several Outbuildings.  Plan enough time to visit our entire property.  There are antiques and great finds on all three floors of our main shop, as well as many pavilions outside stocked with great items, including architectural finds and antiques.  The Design House, a showcase for brand new designs, is open monthly at the far end of the property.  Check the events section of our website for dates.

Measure Twice, Buy Once.  I can't tell you how many times we overhear people saying, "I absolutely love it, I have to have it, but I have no idea if it fits."  If you're looking for furniture, don't leave the house without measuring your space first.  When you're in the store, borrow a tape measure and confirm the measurements.  This way, there's no stress or guesswork before a big purchase.

When it's gone, it's gone.  The great thing about our store is that you know you're going to score something unique.  The challenge with our store is that you're going to find something unique.  We thought it was unique too, and that's why we're offering it to you!  I've seen customers say they absolutely love something on Saturday, say they want to think about it, come back two days later ready to buy, and it has sold.  If you see something you absolutely love, don't wait.  

Hands full?  Who likes to shop with an armload of stuff?  If you're getting lots of little things, there are baskets in the big room straight ahead inside the doorway on the right.  There are also baskets in the "French Room" all the way to the right on the 1st floor. You can bring big items you're buying to the cashier to hold for you or pull the tags on something you're going to buy {instead of trying to carry a 200 pound mirror around while you're still shopping}.

Make a day of it.  We're asked a lot about where to eat.  We always offer snacks for purchase.  Sometimes we even have super-cool food vendors outside.  If we don't have the eats you're looking for, we recommend Lightfoot Restaurant in downtown Leesburg.  If you're heading South on Route 15 , we recommend Blue Ridge Grill by the Leesburg Outlets.  If you're heading North back into Maryland, just over the bridge is a deli on Clay Street.

And If You Can't Decide...  remember that we offer gift certificates in any denomination if you'd like that special person to have the Lucketts experience themselves!