A Block-Long Third Avenue Building Has Sat Empty Since 2017. Its November Reopening Leads Downtown Huntington's Late-Fall Season
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
The former Mack & Dave's store at 1010 3rd Ave. covers nearly a whole block. Its doors closed for the last time in January 2017, and the Herald-Dispatch reports that the building has been vacant ever since. On Sunday, November 1, the lights come back on. The tenant is Quantum World of Inflatables, run by Quantum Sports Center out of Hurricane.
For nearly ten years, a long stretch of Third Avenue has been an empty storefront. Downtown's fall calendar has grown up around it, and most of that calendar happens after dark, on stages and in wine glasses. The reopening, along with a new lunch spot two blocks west, adds daytime, all-ages places to go on the same short grid of streets.
Quantum's own Huntington booking page lists a free grand-opening event at 1010 3rd Ave. on November 1, 2026. It runs in six one-hour sessions from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. As of early October, all six sessions were marked full. Families who reserved a spot are asked to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before their session starts.
After opening day, the venue is built mainly around private parties. Quantum books five parties at once, and each one gets its own area with tables and chairs. Kids from all the parties share the inflatables, and colored wristbands plus an assigned staff member keep each group separate. Non-slip socks are required and cost $4. The Herald-Dispatch's pre-opening story said the venue was already booking birthday parties and events, with rentals on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays. Quantum hasn't posted regular open-play hours or admission prices for the Huntington location, so check with the business before planning a casual drop-in.
The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce has the ribbon cutting on its calendar for Friday, November 6, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Look at downtown's late-October schedule and you can see why a weekend daytime venue stands out. Most of it starts at 7 p.m. or later, or requires an ID at the door.
On Friday, October 23, Norwegian comedian Daniel Simonsen plays Vandalia Crowd House at 835 Third Avenue Rear. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Aaron-Michael Fox hosts and Jerry Morrison opens. That building is two blocks west of the old Mack & Dave's, on the same avenue.
A block south, the Keith-Albee at 925 4th Ave. carries most of the season's big nights:
| Date | Keith-Albee event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 30 | The Rocky Horror Picture Show with a live HART shadow cast | 7 to 10 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 6 | Blackberry Smoke, 25th Anniversary Tour | 7:30 to 10 p.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 7 | Premiere of the documentary Huck's Herd, with an acoustic set by Ricky Huckabay | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 14 | A Magical Cirque Christmas | 7 to 9 p.m. |
Notice Friday, November 6. The ribbon cutting at 1010 3rd Ave. happens that morning, and Blackberry Smoke takes the Keith-Albee stage that night. Within a single day, two different kinds of downtown are a block apart.
The busiest Saturday on the downtown calendar is also 21 and over. On Saturday, October 24, Sip Downtown Brasserie at 311 9th St. holds its 9th annual Siptacular Wine Festival. Sip is pouring more than 100 wines along with West Virginia craft beer and cocktails. The day also includes local shopping vendors, a cigar lounge, a silent auction, a photo booth, and live music from Lee Dean, Patrick McKnight and Souls of the Wounded.
Tickets come in three tiers, and you choose how long you stay:
The festival goes on rain or shine. This fall also marks a milestone for the restaurant. The Chamber celebrated Sip's 10th business birthday on August 21. The Herald-Dispatch noted that owner Allison White and her family first opened Sip at Heritage Station, moved it to 9th Street in 2020, and that the restaurant has won Wine Spectator awards for both wine and hospitality.
The other new address on Third Avenue opened at midday. Vital Greens soft-launched inside The Market at 809 3rd Ave. and planned its grand opening for Monday, September 28. WSAZ announced the opening at the start of September. In a Facebook post quoted by the Herald-Dispatch, the quick-service eatery described its food this way:
"From paninis to acai bowls, savory bowls and fresh salads, and other health-conscious dishes, our options meet a variety of dietary needs."
The same report said the restaurant planned gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan and diabetes-friendly options. The current menu also includes wraps, soup, build-your-own bowls, protein add-ons and snacks. At opening, the posted hours were 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Those may have changed since, so check the Vital Greens site before you go. The Chamber held its ribbon cutting on October 13.
Downtown didn't only gain businesses this year. MUZ Collective, a boutique, gallery and gift shop, moved from downtown Huntington to the Huntington Mall in Barboursville over the summer. Even so, Third Avenue between the 800 and 1000 blocks comes out of 2026 with two more tenants serving daytime visitors than it had last fall.
The last weekend of October runs from Friday night, October 30, with Rocky Horror at the Keith-Albee, to Sunday afternoon at 1010 3rd Ave. On Saturday, October 31, citywide trick-or-treat runs from 6 to 8 p.m., according to the City of Huntington's calendar. At the same hour, the Herald-Dispatch's Halloween roundup lists Hardcore Halloween at 6 p.m. at Event Horizon, 404 Washington Ave., with local bands and a costume contest.
On Sunday afternoon, November 1, Quantum's first sessions begin at 2 p.m. at 1010 3rd Ave. So a weekend that opens with a Rocky Horror crowd closes with families filing into a building that hadn't had customers since 2017.
Washington Avenue has its own Halloween event earlier in the week. Marroween runs Friday, October 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Marrowbone Glassworks, 1525R Washington Ave., with live music, a food truck, a dog costume contest and glass demonstrations.
Once the inflatables open, the rest of downtown keeps its pace. The weekend of November 6 to 8 is the busiest:
On Thursday, November 12, Hudson Westbrook brings his Hits Me Tour to Marshall Health Network Arena from 7 to 11 p.m., with Kenny Whitmire and Ethan Burdick.
Saturday, November 14, has events at both ends of the day. From noon to 5 p.m., the first-ever Jewel City Zine Fest fills West Edge Factory at 1040 Vernon St. with vendors selling zines, chapbooks and other DIY publications. Admission is free. That night at 7 p.m., A Magical Cirque Christmas takes the Keith-Albee stage, and with it the holiday season arrives on Fourth Avenue.
David and I watch storefronts like 1010 3rd Ave. as closely as we watch listings, because a block that comes back to life changes what a street feels like on a Sunday afternoon. If you're curious how downtown Huntington's newest additions might affect a home you own nearby, or one you're thinking about, Home in WV is glad to walk through it with you. Schedule your free consultation.
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