Parkersburg Shopping

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My Favorite Things is one of my favorite shops. They have two locations--one in Vienna, and one in downtown Marietta. They sell my favorite upscale bath and body products--Lady Primrose, Camille Beckman and Crabtree and Evelyn. They have things you just can't find anywhere else in the area--such as scented drawer liner paper--nice little luxuries like that which you don't want to have to do without....

They also sell a number of lines of collectibles such as Hummel and Lenox figurines, Precious Moments, Snowbabies, etc. In addition they sell Christmas collectibles, collectible dolls, candy, coffee, and gourmet foods. They also make custom gift baskets.

Besides being a gift shop, My Favorite Things is also a coffee shop. They have a few tables and chairs in the shops for those who would like to have coffee or tea there. They also have fresh baked goods and chocolates.

Stuck for an idea of what to get your honey for Valentine's Day or another special occasion? My Favorite Things is a good place to shop for that special gal.

What to buy: I highly recommend the Lady Primrose line of bath and body products. They make the silkiest, most sensual bath powder I have ever come across....

What to pay: How much you can expect to spend depends on what you are buying. There are inexpensive items like some of the bath and body products, the loose teas, and some gift items. There are also some expensive items--such as some of the collectible dolls.

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This place is huge! It takes up most of a city block and is stuffed full of antiques, used furniture, appliances, flea market finds and all kinds of odds and ends--lamps, bric-a-brac, etc. No clothing or shoes, but just about anything you might need for the house or yard.

If you love flea markets and used furniture and really want to look around this place, plan on spending more than an hour. I must warn you though, the place isn't heated (and probably isn't air conditioned either) so dress as if you were going to be outside.

Not everything here is old. Some of it is brand new and was damaged slightly in shipment or in the store and ended up here. They have everything; dining room sets, living room furniture, bedroom sets, mattresses, desks, bar stools, chairs, dishes, lamps, decorative items, cappucino machines, toys--pretty much everything I can think of that you might need to furnish a house. I also spotted a doll house, a 6 or 7 foot tall John Deere windmill replica (garden ornament) and an antique Underwood typewriter.

It's a fascinating place to poke around in if you like old things and antiques, or just like a good bargain. Go check it out--but dress warmly if it's cold outside!

What to buy: Furniture, almost new, used and antique is the thing to look for here.

What to pay: They have reasonable prices on the antiques. They don't seem to advertise--at least I couldn't find them in ANY of the three different local phone directories or any mention of them on the web. They might be new (I don't know) or maybe they are just a well-kept secret that only the locals know about!

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You've probably seen the Coldwater Creek catalog at some time or other. But did you know they are located in Parkersburg? When you call in an order, you are talking to someone in Parkersburg. When your order is shipped? It's shipped out of Parkersburg. Besides having the catalog center here, this is the location of their Clearance Center/main outlet store. The bargains must be seen to be believed! I got a silk tank top (no flaws) for $2 and another silk tank top for $5. I managed to buy a pair of suede wedges heels, a jacket, three tops, a sweater and a shirt for less than $100 (including the sales tax)! How can you beat that? The jacket alone was over $100 in the catalog. The suede wedge heels were $70 (plus shipping and handling) in the catalog and on their website, but I paid only $7! So how could you possibly resist shopping here?

This is not just an outlet store--it's their clearance center. So all the factory overstock, seconds, and even catalog returns are sold here. If you buy something from their catalog and end up returning it, it comes here. The bargains on sale days (such as their President's Day sale) are really something! It would be worthwhile to make a special trip here for one of their sales if you live in West Virginia or Ohio. Also, in case you can't tell from the pictures, this place is much larger than their usual outlet stores.

What to buy: They have women's clothing, shoes, jewelry and other accessories, plus home decoration items. Basically, the same things they carry in their catalog and on their website. Some of the items are seconds (usually the flaw is very minor and you have to look hard to find it--and some of the seconds I couldn't find the flaw even after searching hard). Other items are first quality overstocks, clearance items and returns. If you love their clothes and things, it would be well worth a trip to Parkersburg to shop here.

What to pay: You will spend less -- much, much, much less -- than ordering the item from their catalog. The most expensive item I bought was a jacket for $35--but originally it was over $100. The bargains are great. They are open Monday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sundays from noon to 5:00 pm.