Artifacts Gallery at 2 W. State St. will remain under the ownership of Amy Mangano, who confirmed the business has not been sold despite attempts to sell.
Mangano, who opened the store in 1998, put the shop up for sale last spring after moving to Columbus.
“I did have the business up for sale, but I couldn’t find any people of interest that would carry it on,” Mangano said.
Despite living an hour away, Mangano instead decided to drive to Athens daily to keep the store running.
“It was an art gallery, but it has switched over to a boutique,” Mangano said.
Despite controversy due to past signage put up by the owner, the store continues to attract student customers.
Much of the opposition centers on signs once displayed on the storefront with messages such as “humans can’t change sex” and “woman isn’t a feeling, costume or identity.” The signs have since been taken down.
“Almost all my friends have bought something from there,” Declan Murphy, a freshman history education major, said. “My first day on campus, I went, and I bought a t-shirt that I've worn probably 20 times already. The clothes they have in there are really good quality.”
Regular shoppers also point to the store’s wide selection and unique atmosphere.
“It's a great area for students of all kinds to go in there, see all the oddities she has in the store,” Phoenix Brown, a freshman studying sports management, said. “There are a lot of just small things that a lot of kids now like to purchase for themselves.”
Students also note the store’s pricing, particularly on jewelry.
“The rings and stuff they have in there are really good prices compared to some of the places back home where I live, where stuff like that would be double the prices they have listed,” Murphy said.
Still, Mangano’s choice to continue running the business has disappointed students and residents who oppose its presence.
“I think Athens and Ohio University are a really accepting and inclusive place, and I think when we have businesses like Artifacts Gallery, it hinders our inclusivity as a university, so I just don't think it belongs here in our community,” Luke Burke, a freshman studying political science, said.
While Artifacts has been the subject of protests in past years, most opponents now choose to avoid shopping there.
“I think the best way for the community to show them that is by just not shopping there and by not supporting them, and not really giving them the time of day, because I don't know how they even sustain to operate,” Burke said.
Opponents also argue that the city should play a larger role in supporting vulnerable community members.
“When we think about how Ohio University students support the Athens community and local businesses, we do so much of the shopping there, so I think especially with that in mind, the city has an obligation to stand up for those people,” Burke said.
For now, Mangano said she plans to continue operating the shop.
“I do love the store,” Mangano said. “I’m happy to be here right now.”
