Four flights of creaky wooden stairs offer passage between the three floors of a downtown treasure trove. On the ground level, antique china rests on beautifully carved hardwood curios. Old lace made of microscopic stitches is laid out under a glass case. African taxidermy and sculpture leers down at you while you cautiously navigate between shelves of small bronze statues and displays of once-loved jewelry. A few hundred square feet are dedicated to prints – portraits, landscapes, animals, and advertisements – box after box to flip through and admire.

That’s only the first floor of the Main Street Galleries and Antique Emporium, the store Hugh Passow has owned at 306 Main St. in Eau Claire for more than three decades.

The building itself, originally constructed in 1899 and used as a Masonic Lodge until 1927, could be considered an antique, having earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The second story, which is home to textiles, knickknacks, pottery, china, clothing, and more than 35,000 books, can be looked upon from the third level, a groaning balcony that circles the building’s perimeter.

Giving careful berth to the furniture, paintings, and trinkets on the overlook might push you closer to the low railing than is comfortable if you’re troubled by heights. The air is musty, and filled with music; a 200 disc CD player will throw visitors for a loop as it changes from the swell of classical orchestra to a soulful Adele ballad.

Passow says a love for antiques is in his blood. His mother spent the entire day of his birth at an auction, and he still has the dresser she bought. His family went to such sales regularly to find new treasures. He adopted his mother’s love for paper products – the postcards, books, and prints are some of his favorite things in the store – and developed his own love for sculpture over the years.

He began dealing in antiques professionally in 1974, after military service in Vietnam and pursuing a college education through the GI Bill. After years running a downtown antique mall, he and his wife purchased the building that now houses the emporium in 1985. At first, he hosted other antique dealers in the space, along with a small restaurant. Over time, he found he wanted more control over the wares, and took over all the spaces so he could curate to his heart’s content.

Passow tries to emulate museums, both in the items he chooses to sell and how he arranges them. In fact, many of his wares come from museums that close or deaccession items. His first collection of taxidermied animals came from Prairie Moon Museum in Cochrane, Wisconsin.

“I never have been focused on any one thing,” Passow said. “A lot of dealers are really specialized by country, some of them have a lot of Depression glass or something. I’m not really focused on that. I really am eclectic.”

This eclecticism has led to a few interesting purchases and sales over the years, including that of two human skeletons, Passow said. Because of the human remains and the connection of the items to people who have passed on, customers sometimes ask if the place is haunted, but Passow jokes that the only ghost they have was made up to explain objects that are moved to new locations within the store by mistake or by customers.

Business has lulled and surged over the years. The construction of U.S. Highway 53 routed travelers away from downtown, slowing patronage and making it more difficult for visitors to find the Emporium. However, the revitalization of downtown has brought about new interest in the store. Guests of The Oxbow and the Lismore hotels (including 2017 Eaux Claires performers Paul Simon and John Prine), meander down South Barstow Street and discover the expansive collection of curiosities. The Emporium brings in a few hundred people most Saturdays.

Passow enjoys the excitement of choosing items to sell as much as patrons enjoy exploring the store. “The really fun part about this business is you never know what you’re going to see next, Passow said. “I couldn’t work a straight job like most people do, it’d be so boring.”

“I have a guestbook that’s that thick now after 35 years,” Passow added, his thumb and index finger indicating the two-inch spine of the leather-bound ledger on the second story. “I keep sayin’ when it’s full I’m done, but there’s a ways to go, yet.” Signatures range from the practiced cursive of the ’80s through decades to the rounded, bold bubble letters of more recent times. Visitors have left notes describing their experience as “marvelous,” “educational,” and “incredible.” About a half an inch of pages remain in the book, and whether that’s time enough to explore all the nooks and crannies of this Eau Claire marvel is debatable.