Gilman Antique Gallery

OPEN in new location at 5530 East Lake Sammamish Parkway SE, Issaquah. Right off I-90, next to Value Village. Open 11-6 Seven Days a week! 19,000 sf of Treasures! COME EXPERIENCE GREAT SHOPPING

A wonderful treasure trove with a vicious and disrespectful owner. I had spent about an hour browsing through rooms full of beautifully crafted vases, dining sets, tables, oriental decorations and even clothing. While browsing, I was repeatedly drawn back to a particular decorative Chinese bronze incense holder with an open lotus on top. The price was a bit high, so I consulted my mother, who I was shopping with, about how to go about bartering, which is something I've really not done before (and still haven't...). The elderly owner came out asking who was calling her over there. It was us, and I told her I was heavily admiring the incense holder. She opened the case and handed it to us, saying it was something really great. It was indeed beautiful, but I most definitely could not afford to spend $240 on it. I've never purchased something simply because it's beautiful and makes me happy to look at. So, we figured the best way to go about bartering is to start with the ideal lowest price. We asked if it could possibly be sold for $100. Sure, that is low, but it's a starting point. Of course I would have bid higher had she negotiated whatsoever, that's what I was anticipating! Rather, she, without any hesitation, raised her voice at us and told us that our inquiry was rude, disrespectful and that we were out of our place to ask such a thing. This was shocking, and the people around us started to stare, but soon walked away. I told her that we had never bartered before, and that she herself, as a store owner, was going far out of line as a salesperson. I asked that she reanalyze her actions and realize that she is the one being rude, blatantly verbally attacking people who have been repeated customers, though we had never tried to barter before. (This statement was made entirely regardless of what would have been the sale, for at this point there was no chance we would buy of the things we had set aside.) She said something along the lines of: I came back here for this? What a waste of time. She compared this exchange to someone inviting us over for dinner and us saying that we wouldn't eat the food, that it was gross. This was an entirely unsettling event, and I don't remember word for word all that was said, but there was one line she mentioned that really stuck with me: "If this were for charity, I would have given this to poor people." My mom apologized repeatedly throughout the encounter, and neither of us said anything disrespectful or demeaning to her. She said nothing respectful or considerate to us. We both felt very uneasy and made our way out of the store as quickly as possible. We told the woman at the front desk that we would, of course, no longer be purchasing the items we were holding (a Japanese tea set and wooden salad bowl set) because of the sheer disrespect spewing out of the woman who happens to be the owner. She also said that the woman was the owner, and there was nothing she could do to change that. It now makes sense to me why none of the employees seem to smile. It is abundantly clear that the owner has problems far beyond bartering customers. She can deal with her own demons on her own time, or let them deal with her... The latter seems to be what she has chosen. The last thing I said to her, while walking out the door was that I hope she dies a peaceful death. I honestly hope this woman comes to terms with herself and learns how to zoom out of her own rage. It's unfortunate that such a novelty shop is owned by a truly awful person, and I am entirely disappointed. I am glad, however, that we had this experience because now I am able to share it with others so that they can make the choice whether or not to pay this woman to keep doing what she does.