All Aboard 2nd Hand

I’d been wanting to stop in here for ages but usually only saw it on my way home from work, when most of these places are closed or closing. Last week I was happily surprised to see a sign out on the corner announcing that they’re open ’til 7pm, which struck me as a sound business strategy since I assume that most people in the market for antique furniture have jobs.
I parked my truck around the corner (the hill is a little awkward but there’s ample parking all over the neighborhood) and walked over to take a peek at the variety of items on display outside. I knew this place was going to be good when I saw a bunch of things that Restoration Hardware makes copies of and charges a bajillion dollars for, including some turn of the century cast iron pulleys, a beautiful painted headboard, and one of those factory carts that make such great coffee tables. Unlike the Restoration Hardware versions these were all the genuine article and the prices were shockingly reasonable.
My reverie was interruped by a lovely young lady who seemed to be regarding the factory cart that I had been coveting moments before. Clearly she had impeccable taste that happened to mirror my own and was here to buy all of the things I liked best! Don’t laugh, it happens. Especially in vintage stores.
I stepped inside to inquire about the things outside before the before the impertinent and well-​dressed girl outside could run off with them, but got distracted by the whole rest of the store. I don’t know how long I stood there taking in all the lovely shades of wood stain and varnish but at some point my furniture-​nemesis from outside walked up and asked if she could help me find anything.
Relieved to learn that she wasn’t actually competing with me for furniture, we wound up having a great conversation about the offerings of the store, different styles of furniture, and how best to compliment the style of the really difficult camel-​back couch that I’ve saddled myself with.
The young lady who runs this shop is very personable and knows her vintage furniture the way that you wish everybody who sells vintage would be. There was no hard sell on anything, which was nice because I have a psychological condition that causes me to walk straight out of stores where they try to force a sale by getting all up in your bidness. She even let me take pictures of some pieces, treating it as the most natural thing in the world and not an excuse to get indignant and grumbly the way the people at a certain viaduct-​adjacent vintage furniture store often do.
Overall a hugely positive experience. I find myself living in a house with an apartment’s worth of furniture and I think All Aboard is going to have a big part in helping me turn my place into a proper home.

For those selling furniture to All Aboard: BEWARE, the owners do not honor their commitments.
For those purchasing from All Aboard: Do not support this business unless you wish to support unethical practices.
I had two pieces of furniture I wanted to sell in anticipation of a move out-​of-​state: a coffee table and a pub table. I sent photos and descriptions of both tables to All Aboard. Gretchen, the owner, called me and told me that she would come by in the morning to purchase both pieces. She gave a spiel about how they are committed to honoring their offerings.
When she arrived to purchase my tables, she decided that she only wanted the coffee table, even though she had committed to purchasing both tables. She made a second commitment to me (after falling through on her first commitment) – if I was unable to sell the pub table by the end of the weekend (before I moved), she would follow through on her original commitment and purchase the second piece from me Monday morning.
I received an email from Gretchen before the weekend even started saying that she had decided not to purchase the pub table. So much for «commitments»!
I could ramble on about the details of how stupid I was to believe that Gretchen and All Aboard would keep their commitment, and I could go into detail about how much money I lost when I could have sold these pieces to someone after Gretchen had committed to purchase them, but those are extraneous details to the fact that All Aboard has unethical business practices of making commitments and not following through on them.
Shame on you, Gretchen and Andi at All Aboard. Based on other reviews on Unilocal (which I only read after my dealings with All Aboard), I’m not the first person to experience this lack of trust. At some point in time, this will come to bite All Aboard and Gretchen in the butt.
Gretchen — Do not «commit» to something if you cannot follow through. Consider your reputation damaged.
(I wish a 0-​star rating was possible on Unilocal.All Aboard has definitely earned themselves 0 stars.)

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE All Aboard!
Gretchen has a discerning eye and it pays off in spades. I no longer have to hunt high and low. I know exactly where to go for one of a kind finds.
Gretchen and her staff have been nothing but fab to work with. Definitely recommend adding this neighborhood gem to your furniture hunt route.

What a great store…
I was in Ballard to help my daughter decorate her new home. I had noticed this store on my drive in… the sidewalk was beautifully displayed with all kinds of treasures.
It was even better inside; Mid Century Modern, antiques, industrial, primitives and art.
We got a Heywood Wakefield Buffett and a Burke Tulip table and 4 chairs for a very good price. Even better they delivered it the next day!
I found the staff to be very helpful and knowledgable.
I will be back!

This used to be one of my usual stops on my Saturday rounds until this last Saturday. I stopped by and thought I would ask about an old print on the wall. Keep in mind it’s a print that is damaged with a big spot in the middle. I ask the lady working there what the best price is (it’s listed at $ 100 and it’s been hanging on the wall for over a year) she replies with $ 80, not bad, but it’s been there for over a year, and I reply with a thank you, but that’s still too much. Most shops of this ilk will reduce prices after 90 days to half price… imagine over a year! But a minute
Later and the shop owner walks in, and the lady asks the owner, what’s the best price on the print because these guys are interested… the shop owner replies with «just give them $ 10 dollars off». I hear the lady say, that’s not enough off, too which the owner replies «too bad, it’s only $ 10 off.
I guess she’s not in the business of selling. Over half the stuff in her shop ranges from «ok» to it’s «crap» but one thing it all has in common is it’s all been there forever. Most of it for well over a year! I won’t be back! And she won’t be in business for long with that attitude!

I would give this store zero if Unilocal would let us. The owners are there most of the time and I get the feeling that I’m not good enough to be in there. Not very friendly from day one. They do have a fair selection, from really nice to junk, there does not seem to be any order in the store. Seems to me whatever they can find they will put it in the store to make a buck. Someone there does a great job with the window displays, so zero star’s would be to harsh. There is no parking anywhere, not there fault. There doesn’t seem to be many prices on items and when you ask, well the attitude kicks in and they say that is not for sale. Why the attitude? If the customer is rude to you, then be as rude as you want, but asking for a price seems normal to me. I keep coming back hoping it will get better. I think 4 years of disappointment is enough for me. I would rather go to Area 51 and pay 5 times over retail for something cool, then ever go in that store again.

Used to be a fun, pleasant, reasonably priced place. Under the new owners, I’m afraid it’s become overpriced and unwelcoming. The attitude could best be described as «superior»; I actually saw a worker there behind the counter roll her eyes after a customer with a question turned away to go out of the store (customer hadn’t done anything weird or asked something dumb). Folks, it’s not a museum: it’s a store, and you’re supposed to want people to want to buy your wares.

Just had a lame experience at this place. They have the usual, run of the mill mid century modern stuff that everyone in Seattle seems to want, and will spend WAY too much money for.
I found a small, carved wood sculpture sitting on a cabinet, and inquired about the price. I was told it «wasn’t for sale». Hello, this is a STORE, where you’re supposed to have things for SALE. The guy, with an enormous attitude and completely disinterested selling demeanor, just shrugged and said «it’s not MY store». I said «well, maybe you could ask if they’d be interested in selling it?», and was met with zero reply or reaction.
Many other friendlier and more interesting places to shop in this town, no thanks.

I got a cool mid-​century sectional here in decent condition at a reasonable price. Delivery was cheap ($ 20) and right on time.
This place is small but has frequent turnover. Unfortunately they close at 5 during the week, so I generally stop in to browse on weekends. Prices tend to be reasonable and go down over time when they need to get rid of things.
It would be nice if they posted their pieces on Craigslist (and I’m sure they could get higher prices), but it’s fun to be able to stop in without already knowing what they’ve got.

Horrible! I am in the process of moving across country. Last week Gretchen quoted me a price to buy an antique dresser and desk. After much discussion about the less than great condition these pieces were in, we agreed on a price. Then after further discussion she looked at a bedroom set I was also trying to sell. I was curious why she was interested in it considering it was a bit more modern than other pieces in her store but whatever… I just wanted to get rid of it. She gave me a quote and took my info and told me a check would be waiting when I came in with the furniture. Unfortunately, I had to fly out of Seattle a day early so I had my boyfriend bring it in today. He is leaving town tomorrow. She denied ever even meeting me. Then when she «remembered» me, she denied ever agreeing to taking the furniture. We had previously discussed a broken cornice piece on the mirror before she agreed to purchase the dresser but then said that was why she was turning it down. I was under the understanding that she was just going to trash the mirror. Then, she rejected the bedroom set because it was modern unlike the rest of her stuff. All things we had previously discussed before settling on a price.
She claimed to be honest but to pull the offer off the table at the 12^th hour is bad business. I was banking on what little money she was offering to get me going on my cross country move. Instead most of it went to donation (a good cause) but the desk went to a dumpster because we didn’t have time to get back to others that may have wanted it! I had an offer on the desk but was afraid she wouldn’t take the dresser without the desk. I ended up empty handed and actually in the hole because of her lack of honesty. She told my boyfriend that she is honest and never does this. Somehow I doubt that. I seriously recommend getting anything and everything in writing if you decide at all to sell to her.
Terrible business practices!

Their buyer has got a great eye for mid-​20^th Century furniture. They’re expensive as hell (which is where that last star went), but you’ll find more interesting used furniture here than any other shop I know in town. Tables, chairs, beds, armoires, sofas & loveseats, curios, chests… they’ve got it all at one time or another. Check back frequently (monthly?), as their stock is constantly changing.

I was lured in by the sofa they had on the sidewalk out front, and I was happy to have stopped! They have a great collection of furniture, all of it seems to have been very deliberately chosen by someone with TASTE! I found a glass-​fronted bookshelf, and a small cabinet for my computer, both very reasonably priced.
I’ve been to plenty of other antique-​y secondhand stores, and I think these guys have great stuff at great prices. I’ll keep it in my rounds of shops to peruse.

Great prices and a decent selection. I bought a set of 4 oak pub chairs for under $ 60. The owner was helpful and friendly. Checks or cash only. No plastic accepted. The store use to fill 2 store fronts but it appears that space is currently being remodeled. Can’t wait to see what else opens up in the neighborhood.
Update 3÷21÷07: This store is currently being remodeled and scheduled to re-​open sometime this spring. Yaay!

Great selection and helpfull staff. They pointed me to many other places where I could hopefully find what they lacked this makes them extra special. Like Mr Rogers Blue sweater.