Tucked safely away from the ever-increasing suburban sprawl, Grampy’s Antique Store in Hebron is a refreshing alternative for power shoppers suffering from a case of terminal mall burnout.
Located on Main Street in the heart of downtown Hebron, Grampy’s represents the realization of a dream come true for young owners, newlyweds Colin and Joanne McCormack.
“Most antique dealers are frustrated savers, and selling feeds their habit,” said Colin, a former history teacher whose renovation efforts have transformed the 100-year-old Schaefer General Store into a charming haven for both novice and veteran antique aficionados. “It’s kind of a disease,” he adds. “I’m plagued by loving antiques.”
Filling every nook and cranny at Grampy’s is a veritable cornucopia of collectibles-from oak cupboards selling at $500, to primative country folk art pieces priced at less than $10.
Joanne, juggles her role as co-owner, while attending Loyola University School of Law, in addition to clerking for a Loop law-firm part-time. She describes Grampy’s inventory as, “practical, utilitarian antiques,” such as hat racks, farm tables, dressers, chests and high chairs.
“The overall impression when you walk into Grampy’s is that we sell furniture,” she said. “It’s not all trinkety.”
Displaying merchandise by 13 independent dealers, a visit to Grampy’s is not unlike stepping back in time, capturing the nostalgia of years gone by via the squeaky wooden stairs to the framed photographs of Santa’s visit to Hebron in 1939.
With customers attracted to the fledgling establishment’s low-prices and scenic locale, it appears that Colin is following in the footsteps of a real life “Grampy,” his grandfather the late George A. Lang, who owned a successful family grocery store at Kostner and Adams in Chicago.
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Grampy’s Antique Store, located at Illinois Highways 47 and 173 in Hebron, is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 815-648-2244.
