Victorian parlor antiques shop opens in Arts District
Source: richmondbizsense.com
TL;DR
- Olivia Lloyd and Kathryn Parker opened The Veiled Mirror, an antiques store focused on Victorian-era items, at 209 N. Third St. in Richmond's Arts District.
- The 800-square-foot space sells decor, art, jewelry, clothing, and furniture from the 1600s to early 1900s, sourced from East Coast collectors.
- It creates a Victorian parlor experience that counters gloomy stereotypes and serves as a storytelling hub for history buffs.
The story at a glance
Olivia Lloyd and Kathryn Parker, former employees at Carytown’s Bygones Vintage Clothing, recently opened The Veiled Mirror as their first brick-and-mortar antiques store in Richmond’s Arts District. The shop at 209 N. Third St. specializes in Victorian-era pieces and older antiques, themed like a bright Victorian parlor. This opening follows their five years of online sales and markets, as they settle into a permanent local spot.
Key points
- Store covers 800 square feet and stocks items from the 1600s to early 1900s, including decor, art, religious iconography, jewelry, clothing, and furniture.
- Inventory highlights include a mother-of-pearl Sacred Heart painting, antique frocks, 1850-1900 jewelry, mourning hair wreaths, a $1,700 Victorian electric shock couch, an early 1900s oak embalming table, and a taxidermy beetle necklace over 120 years old.
- Themed interior features antique furniture, garden wallpaper, chandeliers, a green couch, and dusty pink wall to evoke a lively Victorian feel.
- Name comes from the Victorian custom of veiling mirrors after deaths to keep spirits from lingering.
- Open Thursdays through Mondays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; owners run it full-time as a retail and "time-travel" experience.
- Plans include a May 2025 talk by historian Sarah Nehama on mourning jewelry and possible Victorian craft classes.
Details and context
Lloyd and Parker worked over a decade at Bygones Vintage Clothing before launching The Veiled Mirror online in 2021. They traveled East Coast markets for five years, sourcing from private collectors and the public, before choosing this Arts District spot last year.
The store emphasizes items with historical stories, like Victorian mourning pieces and naturalism artifacts from the post-Industrial Revolution era. Unusual finds, such as the shock couch for rheumatism treatment or the embalming table, draw from that period's medical and death practices.
Richmond's Arts District provides a fitting home for such a niche shop, amid growing interest in experiential retail.
Key quotes
- The store is designed as “a Victorian parlor."[[1]](https://richmondbizsense.com/2026/03/25/a-victorian-parlor-new-antiques-store-the-veiled-mirror-opens-in-the-arts-district/)
Why it matters
The Veiled Mirror adds a specialized antiques venue to Richmond’s Arts District, enriching the local scene for history and decor enthusiasts. Shoppers and collectors gain access to curated East Coast-sourced Victorian items with storytelling value, plus potential events like talks and classes. Watch for expanded hours or community programming, which could build it into a bigger local hub.