Alexandria, VA – Studio Antiques and Fine Art has been an Old Town staple for nearly 40 years! Inside the townhouse-turned-shop at 524 N. Washington Street is an almost overwhelming array of beautiful artwork and old wooden furniture. But there is bleak news on the horizon – at the end of the year its owners are moving their shop online. Sadly, however, that means that the three-story brick and mortar will be closing its doors.
“For us it’s nice to have the different rooms settings. I think people appreciate that, because they walk in and they can see something in a setting where they can imagine it,” said Lois Boyles, who owns the shop with her husband, Richard Totoiu. “We carry primarily 19th century [work in] a whole range of styles, European, American, everything from landscapes to portraits, and then some later 20th century art as well.”
The shop has more than 400 paintings on display, mostly American and European oil paintings, and also accessories like chandeliers, walking sticks, lamps, and tea caddies. It wasn’t always that way, though. There were only six paintings in the shop when it opened in 1982..
“We initially started out as furniture dealers, and there next door to us was a painting gallery, Liros Gallery, which had been there for many years,” Boyles said. “When we opened, we had six paintings in our shop, we quickly sold those, so we started buying more over the years. We are into paintings as well as the furniture, We’ve always done a lot of furniture and then various small items, especially tea caddies. That’s been a big thing.”
Studio Antiques and Fine Art also carries work from regional artists, including August H.O. Rolle and Benson B. Moore.
Boyles said that she and her husband have a lot of nostalgia for their Old Town shop and customers. But don’t despair too much! There is a sale all the way until the last day that the store is open – 25 percent off of all merchandise, 35 percent off large items, and 45 percent off leather bound books.
“It’s time to retire,” Boyles said. “I’ve had just one client after the other come in and say, ‘I’m so sorry, you’re closing.’ So, that kind of makes you feel warm and fuzzy. That will be missed.”
You can find more at www.studioantiquesandfineart.com.
