Totally Normal Store? Or a Secret Art-deco Bar?
By Dosaki Thalanor · August 14, 2026 · 9 min read
Wigwag, who we previously featured, told me to be at 53 Silvermire Row late at night. She had something new to show me.
I was told to keep quiet and look normal.
As I make my way through Silvermire Row, I recognise it as the Homes of Azeroth neighbourhood. I quickly make a mental note of other houses that look interesting.
I check my map as I come up to the plot. I'm in the right place.
In front of me is a fairly normal-looking 1920s shop. The shop itself looks pretty amazing but the whole thing about keeping quiet and looking normal starts to get to me. I start to wonder - why would an undead half-elf enter a grocery shop? It's not like there's anything I'd buy.
This "look normal" is not off to a good start.
Oh no, maybe I'm already looking suspicious. Quick! Act normal. Breathe like a normal pers- wait, I don't breathe.
As I panic graciously compose myself, I see Wigwag waving at me.
Wigwag: Welcome to Normal Store!
Phew! Saved.
A totally normal shop
Wigwag starts by giving me a tour of the outside of her shop.
The shopfront doesn't have any real windows, they're just … creating the borders and an upside-down … giving off a glow to trick you into thinking there's a reflecting window. A hidden … adds an invisible collision box to stop you from crossing the threshold, completing the illusion.
Since we're outside, and budget is limited, Wigwag tried to use mostly 1 budget point items and making sure the items she did use served more than one purpose (like the … serving as a blocker and also as the gold trim).
The bottom is made up of … which is so versatile - it's quite a large item that only costs 1 decor budget and it has so many different textures that one may use (depending on rotation).
Clever builders will try to squeeze as much out of a decor as possible, if they can - particularly, outside.
Vising the shop
As we walk into the shop, we're greeted by a dwarven shop-keeper.
I pretend to browse the shop. He's mostly selling fruit, dry beans, other vegetables and a variety of bits and bobs.
Once I'm done perusing the shop, I look at the dwarf, hoping for something to happen.
He asks me for the password. I don't know what he's talking about.
Once again, Wigwag comes to my rescue and whispers something to him. She then continues:
Wigwag: As you can see, it sells very few actual goods.
It is a low-effort front, but it's enough to fool the cops.
As she explains, the bookshelf moves and reveals a hidden corridor, it's a bit dark but it seems to lead to a dead-end.
I already suspected this place involved quite a bit of secrecy, but now it's very much confirmed.
Wigwag: There were a lot of secret tunnels back then.
We reach the dead-end, but my host tells me to keep going. To walk through the wall.
I feel like a young wizard at King's Cross but I reluctantly do it, contorting my face, despite whatever could happen probably won't make it any worse - and I could always find another nose or jaw to sew on.
The Deco Bar
Once I'm through the wall, I can't believe what I'm seeing.
This must be the most stylish bar I've ever walked in to - and before you say that I'm only used to abandoned ruins, I've been to Silvermoon and to uuuh... yeah the other places were abandoned buildings in the Plaguelands and Brill.
The architecture. The decoration. It assaults you with 1920s opulent art-deco.
The ceiling is so high above me, it exudes grandeur. Wigwag mentions she built this inside a single skybox room.
That explains it.
I ask my guide why go to the trouble of hiding this beautiful bar behind so much secrecy.
Wigwag: Alcohol was illegal in the 1920s in the US - which coincided with a massive economic boom: It was known as the roaring 20s.
Even though it was illegal, it was everywhere. You just had to know where to look for it.
Dosaki: A bit like drugs then?
Wigwag: Yes exactly. Speakeasies came about for this reason: a discrete entrance, but behind closed doors, people going wild.
Dosaki: Why are they called speakeasies? I've not heard that term before.
Wigwag: It means to speak quietly. Basically: be discrete.
That explains why this beautiful place isn't front-and-centre and instead it's hidden behind an inconspicuous shop. Who would suspect a Normal Store?
Decoration & architectural style
I can't stop admiring the decoration. There's so much to look at.
The straight lines, the angular architecture, the contrast of gold, green and black look so out of place in WoW. It's like I was transported into another game entirely.
The chandelier hanging in the centre of the bar, is made up almost entirely out of … with … for the chains holding it from the ceiling.
The wainscotting on the walls is made up of "obscene amounts of" … and clipped … - it looks like a pain to clean.
Dosaki: Minimalism was definitely not in the dictionary.
Wigwag: Correct! More lines provide more ornamentation, make it closer to the opulence of the 1920's.
The design during this period was uniquely precise and geometric, unlike previous eras' design and architecture.
This is due to the influence of the industrial revolution: people are no longer making many of these things by hand anymore.
Machines bring precision.
The bar
Wigwag and I sit at the bar. Some of her favourite cocktails are already poured.
They don't stock any embalming fluid, so I just keep Wigwag company.
She picks up her drink and invites me to take a look behind the bar.
Wigwag: I have a few bar type details back here. Cutting lemons, fresh mint, a little strainer...
Dosaki: I was just noticing the lemons. You used the …?
Wigwag: Yes!
Dosaki: Those little guys get used as food a lot.
Wigwag: They're surprisingly useful - being 1 decor point.
Dosaki: Indeed.
Wigwag: My guildie, Melisent, helped me figure out how to clip the … in there to add the lemon slices.
And my friend Snarky helped me build the knife out of the ….
As she shows me this, I notice something: Is that a revolver in the corner?! And... is it made entirely out of 3x…?
Wigwag: Haha, yes! We deal with seedy types in this establishment - we need protection.
Dosaki: How was security at places like this back then? You couldn't exactly call the police.
Wigwag: Great question. My understanding is a lot of them were run by the Mob.
This was the height of the Italian mob's power in the US really.
They had control over such a massive industry in the US - specifically because it was illegal.
The mob either owned it directly or were otherwise affiliated with it.
Since they also did the supply, they ran the alcohol through underground tunnels and such to move it.
Dosaki: I see.
Wigwag: They profited the most from prohibition since normal people couldn't sell alcohol.
The booths
My host pulls me towards the booths where we have a seat.
The sofas look elaborate: Wigwag scaled up a few … and surrounded them with many …. The effect is a retro booth sofa, that looks pretty comfortable.
The other booth has another type of seating and a table with a still-smoking cigar.
The chairs are gorgeous. She customised a … with green … and a …. It looks so seamless and so fitting to the style.
Inspiration and expenses
Wigwag is a great lover of design and architecture. She often gets inspired by the art deco buildings of New York and Chicago.
Wigwag: Art deco is one of my favorite styles, but I also knew it would be a huge challenge with the limitations in wow
Dosaki: Yeah, you're the kind of woman to see a limitation and try to break it.
Atlas, Singapore's Grand Lobby & Bar, was a major source of inspiration.
Wigwag can't even begin to estimate how much she spent... and how long she spent on this. It looks like it must've taken months of work and at least ~100,000 and a ton of other currencies... That and the design work make me think this must be worth at least 3,000,000.
Designer tips
Wigwag revealed a few tips in our visit to her Scottish Castle. This time she's got a few more: This build had to feel precise.
Lettering
Wigwag: What I like to do, is take a screenshot of the sign without letters, mock it up in a design program so I get a good idea of the spacing, and then use that as a guide when I build.
In Gecko's KWC which inspired @...'s Blackboard video, they used … and … to draw Chinese characters.
Wigwag took a different approach with the edges of … for straight lines and clipping just the edges of the …'s basin to create rounded shapes.
The result is clear, easy to read text.
Pixel-perfect lines
Wigwag: I have to use that precise geometric look to capture art-deco.
Dosaki: Are you using rugs for the lines on the floor?
Wigwag: No. Those are actually the edges of … blown up to 200%.
The style we all love in WoW has always been a bit wonky and cartoonish - it really fits the game but it makes it very hard for builders to achieve straight lines.
While upstairs she starts pointing in many directions:
Wigwag: So all these walls are lined with more Silvermoon walls.
Baseboards? Silvermoon walls.
Pillars? Silvermoon walls.
Crown moulding? You guessed it! Silvermoon walls.
I can't help but notice them everywhere now.
Use decor for its smallest details
One thing I'm learning is that builders will make use of the smallest details in one piece of decor to achieve the look they want.
And Wigwag takes this to an extreme to compose her vision.
That lighting feature uses two … with a …. However, the meadery window lacks the patterns of the ornate one. She solved this by clipping juuuuust the side edges of a … to get the pattern and the single blue gem.
Or using a large … for the lamp cords.
Absolutely genius!
Standing on the shoulders of giants
Like for many, building is all about the challenge. How to create something new out of all sorts of odds and ends.
Wigwag I was experimenting with options for months!
Dosaki: I think sometimes it takes someone to break the barrier for everyone else to understand what's possible.
I'm sure this build is already serving as a massive source of inspiration.
It's that thing about standing on the shoulders of giants.
It definitely applies to us all in the housing community.
Wigwag: It's true! I've learned so much from my fellow builders on how to approach things differently.
Saltycandy was such a huge help: she helped me test and combine different objects to kitbash for this style.
My friend Deo helped me figure out how I could build the design around the Deco Bar sign with tables.
Fashionista helped me troubleshoot as well... and I'm probably forgetting some.
Need more Wigwag?
You can view more of her creations on:
I love the builds that teach me a little more about WoW or real-world lore.
It's very satisfying coming out of these visits knowing a few more techniques but also learning a bit more about real-world concepts or history. I hope you've learned something new too.
I'll see you in the next build!