DC’s Hunted House
I had the great pleasure of visiting our nation’s capital last week smack dab in the middle of the Fourth of July activities. While checking out the White House and the National Mall was fun (and insanely sweaty during that heatwave), my visit to resale shop Hunted House stood out as the trip’s highlight.
How could I not stop in? Mid-century furnishings strung together with security wire on the sidewalk will always catch one’s attention. Up one flight of stairs and I was smack dab in the middle of vintage heaven.
All of the rooms in the former apartment that is Hunted House are set up as… rooms in an apartment. No showroom style here; you’re able to visualize the items just as they would look in your own home. Owner Mark Johnson told us that New Yorkers travel down with trucks on the weekends to stock up on his mostly mid-century modern pieces and I believe it. I have never wished to own a Ford F-150 as badly as I did during our visit to Hunted House. With super reasonable prices, everything from credenzas to paintings to salt and pepper shakers and a quickly rotating inventory, the citizens of DC—and traveling New Yorkers—definitely have a gem on their hands.
Johnson also told us that 14th street was quickly becoming a design destination in DC and when I got back to our hotel I sent out a tweet to amazing urban life resource @urbanbydesign asking for the not-so-usual DC must see tourist destinations. One of her replies: “Last wk @radecor wrote a blog post on DC’s emerging mid-city design district http://bit.ly/bdMBKs.”
Right on 14th, where I had just left. Read more about DC’s mid-city design district here. I’m already planning my next trip and this time I’ll rent a truck. I would love to hear about your favorite resale shops around the country. I’m always game for a road trip!
Hunted House
Hours
1830 14th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 549-7493
Tags: hunted house, mark johnson, mid-century, mid-city design district, washington dc
The Hunted House is very cool, and all due respect to it – but in my opinion you just barely missed the best find in DC. Not a hundred steps up the street is a place called Rough N Ready Furnishings – a warehouse/junk sale/antique store packed from floor to ceiling with furniture, knick-knacks, dishes, and other oddities. Their nicer antique furniture is gorgeous, and their broken-down pieces are very inexpensive and great DIY projects. I go there all the time, and it’s one of my favorite stores in the city.
[...] posted about Hunted House, a resale shop in DC that I fell in love with, over at ReadyMade today. Read all about it and tell me about your favorite resale shops in the comments. Have a great [...]
Hunted House is well-curated, but if you enjoy the thrill of the chase, Tom’s right. Ruff ‘n’ Ready (their spelling, as I understand it) is amazing, even if in a “oh my god, will this entire place tip over onto me and require several days of digging to locate my body?” kind of way. They employ people whose sole job seems to be rearranging the furniture to be able to get to whatever people buy. And though it’s all piled on top of itself many times over, almost all of it is beautiful. (Don’t miss the second house of stuff at Ruff ‘n’ Ready beyond the patio in the back, nor the basement, where things are ridiculous-cheap.)
I disagree – Hunted House isn’t that reasonable and the owner follows you around as though you might steal a couch.
And while Ruff n Ready is good for “the chase” it’s actually not a good place for a steal – plus it’s dank, moldy, gross, with no prices and rude staff.
For a much better curated collection try Millenium on U St (similar prices to Hunted House) or 1959 in Georgetown (expensive but exquisite.)
Hi All, Megan here. Thanks for the info! I wish I had kept walking up 14th and seen Ruff N Ready! It will definitely be on the radar my next time in DC. Allison, I had the exact opposite experience at Hunted House. The owner showed us the layout of the store and went back to his business in the cashier room. I’ll check out Millenium on my next trip, too!
thanks for the link to my blog post! very cool – was wondering how I my site received more hits. always fun to find the source.
I haven’t been to Hunted House, but will be sure to check it out. Ruff N Ready is great but too overwhelming, have to take in small sips. Millenium does have great finds – I forgot them on my list! I will have to post an update to my original post soon!