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The clientele is a mix of experienced collectors and passersby - the day we dropped in, fellow shoppers ranged from a television producer on the hunt for vintage appliances and accessories to an older woman engaging in a bit of nostalgia over a chair just like one she had once owned...

The store originally opened in 1997 under the ownership of local designer and MCM collector Travis Smith. Current owner Steve Cheek began shopping at Good Eye when furnishing his Adams Morgan apartment; he eventually moved from customer to supplier to owner of this MCM gem.

Though the store is small, the high ceilings and skylight on the main floor help keep it from feeling cluttered, and the merchandise is arranged in pleasing vignettes that certainly drew us in.

More merchandise can be found downstairs in the basement; we fell in love with a white lacquered wood sofa with orange cushions hiding underneath some boxes (and therefore not pictured here) and the wonderful 8-ball lamp.

Steve has the heart and soul of a true collector; though the store will maintain a wishlist if you’re searching for a particular item, many customers drop in every Thursday to cherry pick new through the new inventory.

Steve recommends buying what you love and what you want to live with rather than pedigree buying; his own collection "has its fair share of just cool stuff" he has never been able to identify. Steve himself prefers designers who worked with natural materials; Vladimir Kagan and Gio Ponti are two particular favorites.

Fallen in love with a particular piece you see pictured on the web? Never fear- contact the store and it can be yours. Good Eye will arrange to ship anywhere in the US- contact the store directly for more information on shipping rates. You can also purchase Good Eye merchandise through eBay if you can stand the uncertainty of the auction process.

- Colleen Quinn

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