The central aisle at Odd Ball Collectables & Claire’s Antiques.

By Ethan Clark

If you have ever been cruising down West Broad Street on your way downtown, you might have noticed a small shopping center at the intersection with Wistar Road called Merchants’ Walk. Even if you haven’t, on most occasions you wouldn’t be missing that much. The square consists of many repetitive smaller stores clustered around the much larger Jo Ann Fabrics and a Food Lion in standard strip mall format. What may seem as a standard middle-class shopping experience hides one particular diamond in the rough. Tucked away in the back corner of the plaza sits a store that at the slightest glance would make even the most perceptive shoppers look twice: Odd Ball Collectables & Claire’s Antiques.

The mini models booth.

Odd Ball Collectables & Claire’s Antiques is a quirky little oddity that may be unmatched in weirdness in Richmond. From the minute you walk in the door, you are abruptly overwhelmed by an enormous sense of nostalgia, no matter what decade you grew up in. A musical medley of the greatest hits from the 1950s through the 1980s swirls through your ears as you walk towards the register. The store, although laid out in evenly spaced rows throughout, turns into more of a maze once you pass the threshold of the check out counter. Even time itself seems to work differently inside the building, as the only clocks around are the ones with a price tag stuck to their sides, their gears not having turned for decades. Everywhere you look is plastered with pop culture icons advertising whatever strange merchandise they were paid to promote, mixed with items many people might think belong in a museum.

One reason for the store’s nearly unexplainable madness comes from how every section of the store is composed of dozens of individually owned booths. Sellers may rent out a booth from which they may sell their wares, ranging from toys to collectibles and other oddities. One such booth sits populated by early 2000s Hot Wheels cars and unopened Hess Trucks, among other various model kits. On my most recent visit, other specialized booths overflowed with pop figurines, classic video game consoles, and horror movie villain masks. Due to the constant fluctuation of sellers, the store tends to reorganize and rearrange itself on a dime. While the layout may remain constant, the locations of each booth and what they contain is always different. Anyone who frequents the store knows you must take a few minutes to sweep the store in its entirety to readjust to where everything has moved. 

Ranked among the top destinations to visit in the Richmond area, Odd Ball & Claire’s is certainly a sight to behold. Although the store has changed locations over the years, what hasn’t changed is the heart of the store. As a family-owned business, it makes you feel right at home the second you walk in the door. The staff always greets you with a smile, as the delightful, old-timey door chime rings overhead.

In my many visits to the store, I always remember the hospitality shown to all guests. In a time where many small businesses are suffering due to the current global pandemic, Odd Ball Collectables & Claire’s Antiques have been able to adapt and provide a safe shopping experience. The store provides gloves for use while shopping and makes sure to wrap any fragile purchases. So the next time you’re stopping for groceries or searching for the right fabric, take a few minutes to check out a Richmond favorite.

All photos by Ethan Clark.