It's probably safe to say that when a West Allis man opened his own used appliance store, he didn't expect his appliances to one day become a backdrop display for whimsical art and unique gifts. So when his wife, Meri Berghauer decided to open a gallery with her friend, Olive Blomgren, two years ago, it was to his surprise that they wanted to use his store.

"We started out on a shoestring," says Blomgren. It only seemed natural then to use the resources they already had, and since conveniently, Berghauer happened to be married to a guy who owned an appliance store, and they thought, "Why not?" So, with a little strategic rearranging and some fresh paint, the appliance and gallery store idea began to take shape.

Berghauer recalls her husband's expression the day she brought in some chicken wire to hang items from the ceiling.

"He said, what are you going to do with that?" says Berghauer, feigning a shocked expression before breaking into laughter. And, she says, he is to this day a little gun-shy about "anything purple," one of the major colors the two used when repainting the store.

But really, say Berghauer and Blomgren, the arrangement has worked out quite well.

"Refrigerators are so much easier to clean," says Blomgren, compared with those high-falutin' glass shelves seen at other area galleries. And appliance spaces make for some great storage, Blomgren points out, opening an oven door to reveal boxes of supplies and stored merchandise.

"It's a place to find a gift for the person who has everything," says Berghauer of the gallery/store, called Art n' Oddities, filled with gifts such as teacup bird feeders, tire swings shaped like dragons, pink zebra-striped flowers, handmade buttons, painted light switch covers and peapod-shaped gravy boats. Art n' Oddities changes its merchandise every other month, opening each new collection with a different theme and name.

The gallery has accrued a loyal following of customers through word of mouth, says Berghauer. But still, "We're a well kept secret," says Blomgren.

The service in the store also undoubtedly keeps people coming in, with its small town, personal appeal.

"I'll come and meet a customer here if they need something and we're closed," says Blomgren.

A popular night during the holidays is the Men Only Night.

"Oh, we had fun with that last year," says Blomgren of a night when only men and children can come in to buy presents for the women in their lives, some of whom have had the opportunity to fill out a wish list at the store beforehand. The men can then have their gifts boxed and wrapped in pretty paper, on the house. This year the store will hold the night on Wed. and Thurs., Dec. 18 and 19 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Although much of the eclectic fare at the store is made by local artisans, Berghauer also travels throughout the U.S. adding artists from places like Vale, Seattle and Santa Fe. "We try not to be exorbitant," says Berghauer, of the prices in the gallery. "They're reasonable for good, well-crafted work."

She also explains that to keep prices affordable, they carry some manufactured items in the store as well -- as long as they are of top quality and can't be found anywhere else in the area. She points to an example of some manufactured work, a ceramic chip and dip platter painted in a red hot pepper motif that runs for under $50.

"I've been in the Milwaukee art scene longer than I'd like to admit," says Berghauer, a UWM art grad who painted one of Milwaukee's infamous beastie characters. She also made a few headlines when she was the only artist to have her pig stolen during the Pigs in the Park exhibition in Milwaukee, and good naturedly considers the incident to be a kind of compliment. Berghauer says that someday she would like to use her certification as an art instructor to teach various art classes at the store.

Of course, if you're looking for an affordable fridge, oven or other major appliance, you can find that here too. You might, however, have to dig a little to find them.

The current holiday show at Art n' Oddities is called "Santa's Neat Stuff" and runs through Fri., Jan. 3. Art n' Oddities is located at 5833 W. Lincoln Ave. For store hours and information call (414) 329-2788.