HUNTINGTON — There’s been a little confusion about Georgia Wilson’s new downtown store, Furniture Gallery.
It’s in the 900 block of 4th Avenue, where Warner Bros. Pictures came in and designed a lot of fake storefronts for “We Are Marshall.” There’s the hotel — not real. The hat shop — not real. And there’s her furniture store. Real.
It opened Dec. 4, and it is an actual furniture and home decor business.
“So many people thought our window was associated with the movie,” Wilson said. “They say, ‘I see people working back there. That must really be a store.’ ”
It is indeed. Furniture Gallery offers a variety of home decor, such as furniture, color coordination, lighting and custom drapery and floral designs. It’s located at 926 4th Ave. and open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Wilson said she does a lot of her design work outside those hours and outside the store, setting up appointments with customers at their homes so she can see the space and help them develop the best design to meet their tastes. A lot of items are made-to-order to match up colors with styles of furniture that clients have in mind.
Wilson’s history in the furniture business goes back to 1983, when she opened her first store in Prichard. She worked together with her husband, Gregory, who still helps her in the new store, working as an advisor.
The Prichard store relocated, and they ran Wilson Furniture in Ceredo from 1985 to 1999.
Now, Wilson said she’s happy to be involved in bringing downtown Huntington back to life.
“I would love to see Huntington come to life again with lots of businesses,” she said.
Her store offers furniture that ranges from “good quality” to “exquisite,” Wilson said. “You could come here and buy a $1,200 table or a $20,000 table that’s the same size,” she said.
The store does not have antiques, but it does antique reproduction, Wilson said.
Clients can share the design they have in mind and their budget, and Wilson works to stay within the framework. “Through the years, we’ve made a lot of contacts, and we know what’s available and if it will be suited for your job,” she said.
“I’ve heard that Huntington needed a place like this,” Wilson added. “It’s hard to find a place that sells good quality furniture. We sell everything 40 percent off the suggested retail price every day, so you don’t have to go south (to get a deal on good furniture),” she said.
Underwood & Proctor law offices purchased a receptionist desk there earlier this week. Wilson made some custom changes to it to suit their needs, and “did everything she could to please the customer,” said Cynthia Underwood, office manager at the law office. “It’s a beautiful piece, and we’re glad she’s in the downtown area.”
For more information, contact Furniture Gallery at (304) 525-3403.
