Housed in Back Bay's former New England Museum of Natural History, this 40,000-sq.-ft chain branch delivers a bonanza of furnishings and oddities, making it more like an area attraction than a store; nestled near the salvaged wood tables, sleigh beds and other authentic reproductions and modernized classics, visitors find an indoor conservatory, a 24-ft. steel Eiffel tower, a 100-year-old bar...
This national chain specializes in old-fashioned style at new-fashioned prices. The merchandise runs more to home accessories, toys, and furniture than to hardware (although there's plenty of that, too) and makes for great browsing.