Drug store now showcases Eclectiques

Miles Drug Store is back. It’s corner is occupied.

Not by a drug store, of course, but by an upscale antique shop, the ones that are becoming so popular in downtown Atlanta these days.

“Eclectiques” is its name, and Kyle Wolfe and his wife, Holly, are putting a lot of hard work, money and enthusiasm into it.

Both are locals, from Queen City. They’ve known about the Miles Drug Store for years and admired the building at its corner location on East Hiram and North East streets.

They’ve known about Miles so well they are having a struggle over how much to capitalize on its name.

“We don’t know whether to leave the outdoor Miles’ name on the building or not,” Holly said. “People when stepping inside ask if we’re the drug store.”

Their store opened in the last week of April. It has space for 21 vendors yet to come.

Holly said they will specialize in Americana, vintage primitives and old advertising. This last is exactly that, i.e., old advertisements of gas stations, stores, etc.

“You can frame them, hang them up. They make great conversation pieces. They’re hot right now. For some reason, my generation is interested in these things,” said the 28-year-old Holly.

The building’s ownership also includes Kyle’s brother, Kendall. Other members of the family have helped remodeling. This includes Kyle’s parents, Darren Wolfe and Brenda Womack. Charles Gardner also helped his daughter, Holly. Holly’s mother was the late Evelyn Gardner, an Atlanta schools fifth-grade teacher.

Kyle and Holly are 2006 AHS graduates. After their college degrees, Holly went to work for the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services and Kyle is employed with Domtar in Ashdown, Ark.

Both have strong interests in antiques, however, and a love of local history, Kyle tells.

When the Miles building became available, the two decided to purchase it as well as another building on East Main, which was Hills Sewing Center and is now Junk Dynasty.

Holly said she is encouraged that so many antique stores are opening in Atlanta.

“You can’t have too many. Maybe a lot of people will come here to look, and each store will have a different atmosphere. I know I don’t have just one interest. I’m eclectic in my tastes, and that’s why we called this store Eclectiques.”

Staff photo by Neil Abeles Kyle and Holly Wolfe are shown with their antique findings, which are the first items visitors to their store Eclectiques will see in downtown Atlanta, Texas. The building is the former Miles Drug Store.

Staff photo by Neil Abeles The Miles Drug Store is a historical feature of downtown Atlanta, Texas. Now it is an antique store. An old bicycle once sold by Sears is now a window showpiece inviting the customer inside.