WESTON, West Virginia — Nestled in the heart of central West Virginia is a one-of-a-kind emporium with an eclectic collection of curiosities and treasures that beckon to those with a taste for the unconventional. Step into Appalachian Oddities and you’ll find yourself transported to a world where the macabre and the marvelous collide.
Owner Katy Perrine describes her shop in downtown Weston as “an eclectic collection of everything odd,” a treasure trove of the bizarre, the peculiar and the utterly fascinating.
“If you like Halloween, you’ll probably enjoy my store,” Perrine said. “It’s full of skulls and creepy stuff — everything from artifacts to art to obscure oddities. We have a lot of really interesting stuff here.”
Appalachian Oddities also offers tarot readings, art classes, dream interpretations and a monthly meeting where the community can gather to talk about anything and everything odd.
Perrine’s journey to creating this haven for the strange began during her high school years.
“I didn’t fit in anywhere; I was kind of the oddball,” she recalled. “Appalachian Oddities started as a project to basically build a place where I felt comfortable and fit in.”
But the path from the early concept to the current business wasn’t a straight one.
“I started out making soap,” Perrine said. “It was very ‘Whole Foods’ — it was a little bit generic, and it really wasn’t sitting right with me. So I started crafting my products to be a bit more on the crazy side, the creepy side.”
From there, Appalachian Oddities began to take shape.
“It’s really been a rebirth into this community that I didn’t even know existed,” she said. “We’ve found our place.”
Today, Appalachian Oddities’ clientele is as diverse as its inventory. Local regulars mix with visitors drawn to the area by the nearby Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. The business even supplies items for the asylum’s gift shop, such as dowsing rods and pendulums crafted by Perrine and her partner, Aaron Dalzell.
“We have so many regulars who come in, and when they come in the shop, they say this place feels like their second home,” Perrine said.
One of the shop’s most striking features is its themed rooms, each housing a different category of oddity. The front room showcases a collection of medical antiques, including an authentic embalming table now used as a display for items like Pyrex chemistry glass, poison bottles and a trepanning kit once used to bore holes in skulls.
“I love that piece,” Perrine said of the the trepanning kit. “I love talking about that piece, I could talk about it for days.”
Further into the shop, visitors can explore rooms dedicated to paranormal items, a one-of-a-kind photo booth featuring a Wendigo lovingly named Wendell, and Perrine’s own tarot reading room. The shop also boasts an impressive collection of crocheted items, horror movie memorabilia and a classic movies archive curated by Dalzell.
Local artisans are well-represented at Appalachian Oddities, with many West Virginia-made items available for purchase. Perrine works with several artists through a consignment program, ensuring a steady supply of unique, handcrafted goods.
In addition to its retail offerings, Appalachian Oddities hosts a variety of events and classes. Celestial Saturdays, held on the second Saturday of each month, feature discounted tarot readings and metaphysical supplies. The last Friday of the month is reserved for the Odd Encounters group, a gathering for those interested in the paranormal, cryptids and other strange phenomena.
“A lot of times people don’t want to share their personal experiences, just because they feel like it’s a little too kooky and that nobody will believe them, or they won’t be taken seriously,” Perrine said. “We do take it seriously. Don’t get me wrong — we have a lot of fun at Odd Encounters. We can joke and laugh with the best of them, but we also look at the research and the information that is available to us, and we discuss other people’s personal experiences.”
The owner stressed the importance of inclusion.
“If a person needs a place to be seen and heard and feel like they fit in — like they belong — then we’re going to support that no matter what,” Perrine said.
As Appalachian Oddities approaches its third anniversary, Perrine reflects on the shop’s success.
“I think for any small business, that in itself is a victory,” she said of the third anniversary. “Especially for something as off-the-wall as we are, it’s a real victory for us.”
For those seeking the unusual, the creepy, or simply a welcoming space to call their own, Appalachian Oddities is a must-visit destination in the heart of West Virginia.
Appalachian Oddities is located at 468 Main Ave., Weston, West Virginia, 26452. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed Sunday and Monday. Visit their website, follow them on Facebook, email them at appalachian.odditieswv@gmail.com or call 304-997-8597 with any questions.
