Northern Illinois offers antiquers exciting opportunities for the hunt in its Rip Van Winkle towns and villages that awakened 20 or 30 years ago to the realization they could capitalize on their quaint old architecture and colorful historic past.
Quite a number of these villages of yesteryear exist in the broad area between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. Most places are little more than crossroads communities and host only a few shops devoted to locally found antiques, or, as is the trend today, one large multi-dealer mall.
There are a handful, however, which are known to serious amateur antiquers and professional dealers alike as prime target destinations. Here’s where antique shops in 19th Century storefronts line both sides of Main Street and you can get lost for hours prowling dusty aisles stacked wall-to-wall and to the ceiling with goods of every kind.
Yes, it’s true that flea markets are hot right now, but what’s better than to hunt for artifacts of the past in a time warp where it appears the clock stopped 50 years ago and it takes only 10 minutes or less to get from one side of town to the other. Where to go? Here are our three top choices for places that fit the bill and make for a good fall outing. Area code for all places is 815.
SANDWICH
“Have you looked at Sandwich?” antique-seekers will ask one another in verbal shorthand, referring not to menu choices but to one of the most outstanding outdoor antiques markets in the Midwest. The 12-year old Sandwich Antiques Market, held at the DeKalb County Fairgrounds off U.S. Highway 34, and open six Sundays from spring to autumn, is a world-class event drawing 625 exhibitors of “monitored” wares and, on a good day, 10,000 visitors, some of whom fly in from Europe to attend.
So magnetic a draw is the market, many visitors succumb to tunnel vision, heading straight toward the DeKalb County Fairgrounds where it is held, directly past the prairie town that gives the market its name. Remaining dates for the market are Aug. 22, Sept. 26 and Oct. 24.
Established in 1859, Sandwich the town offers enough antiquing adventures of its own for an entire day of shopping on a quiet weekday or non-market weekend. Here are a few highlights.
The Old Timers Antiques Centre (131 E. Church St.; 786-6430) is a new, 25,000-square-foot antique mall of 34 dealers offering a general line, from furniture to small items. Joe Fraser, a commercial pilot by trade, visited dozens of antique malls and talked to experts in the field before creating this one.
Open since last September, Two Sisters Then and Now (316 S. Main St.; 786-1555) has seven rooms of antiques, home accents, and gifts. Most of the antiques are country primitives, including pine furniture.
The Sandwich Antiques Mall (108 N. Main St.; 786-7000) houses the wares of more than 40 dealers who offer a good selection of vintage objects, from country primitive furniture and salt-glazed stoneware jugs to Mickey Mouse collectibles.
The Sandwich Antique Mart (2300 E. Illinois Highway 34; 786-6122) has 22 dealers in a warren of spaces jam-packed with antiques and collectibles, mostly country.
A top attraction in town is S.A.M.’s Resale Shop (113 S. Main St.; 786-7060), one of the best second-hand shops this writer has encountered in terms of serendipity. Wares range widely, from gently used furniture — some of it antique or good country reproductions — to Barbie dolls, good china, crystal, glass and other housewares, home accents and collectibles.
Megan’s Doll Shop & Fritzi’s Dolls (40 Church St.; 786-1515) is a gorgeous shop to visit, with a greater inventory than ever of exquisite antique dolls and new artist-made and collectible dolls for sale. Antique dolls are also purchased. Doll repair and doll supplies, custom costuming and dressing of dolls are other services available.
Sandwich, which is smack dab in the center of an agricultural area, is annual host to the DeKalb County Fair, known as the oldest, largest and best continuous fair in the Midwest. The 112th edition takes place Sept. 8-12 and includes the judging of many species of farm and domestic animals, horse races, tractor pulls, carnival rides, some antiques exhibits, psychics’ booths and a trade fair selling everything from tie-dyed T-shirts to horse trailers.
A brochure, “Discover Sandwich,” with a more complete listing of shops, services and upcoming events, is available through the Sandwich Chamber of Commerce, 815-786-9075.
WILMINGTON
The antiques center of Will Country is 162-year-old Wilmington, home to a very large number of antiques shops and malls in its historic downtown business district. About a 65-mile drive south of Chicago, Wilmington likes to call itself “The Island City” because of the large island formed between the Kankakee River and the town’s long-unused millrace in the center of town.
Both the river and the island parks are beautiful and offer picnic and recreational opportunities to visitors. In pioneering days, dams were built along the river to power grist and lumber mills. Today the Wilmington Dam is a popular fishing spot.
Most antique shops in Wilmington are located on both sides of Water Street — the main street. Some highlights:
Mill Race Emporium (110 N. Water St.; 476-6540) is a mall of 12 dealers offering antique furniture, lamps, glassware, silver, pottery, jewelry, toys, old Halloween decorations, books, doll carriages, and vintage women’s clothing.
Paraphernalia Antiques (112 N. Water St.; 476-9841) is one of Wilmington’s oldest shops. Owner Chuck Jeffries has been here 35 years and imports most of his inventory, which includes furniture from England, Ireland, Wales and France. The last shipment contained 5,000 pieces — 250 of which were furniture. The rest were “smalls,” the antiquing term for items such as glass, china, clocks and other decorative objects of no great size. Jeffries also imports French Art Deco furniture and accessories.
R.J.’s Relics (116, 118 and 120 N. Water St.; 476-6273) offers a general line of antiques, including militaria, swords, books, furniture, glass, trains, toys and pottery. The shop is one of the few sources around for old gasoline advertising and gasoline pumps.
Second Time Around (115 N. Water St.; 476-6379) specializes in quality antique furniture in golden oak (both furniture and fireplace mantels), walnut, mahogany and primitive pine. Other specialties are old wicker, toys, advertising tins, glassware and dinnerware. In the fall, the shop will relocate to 151 N. Will Rd., Braidwood, five minutes south of Wilmington, where it will become the Second Time Around Antique Mall.
Water Street Antique Mall (121 N. Water St.; 476-5900) is a 15,000 square-foot space with 32 dealers offering a general line of antiques, including furniture. It’s a good source for Roseville, Shawnee, Weller, McCoy and other American pottery as well as antique glassware.
The Opera House Collections (203 N. Water St.; 476-0872) offers unusual English, French and American country primitive furniture pieces as well as Beanie Babies.
The Old Theatre Antique Mall (114 S. Water St.; 476-7525) houses 20 dealers who offer a general line of antiques along with limited edition collectibles such as Precious Moments, Keepsake ornaments and Beanie Babies.
Wilmington has a variety of other single-dealer antiques shops, open by chance or appointment only. Dealers often go to shows, or to estate sales or auctions, so no matter what the hours listed on the door are, some may be informal about keeping to them exactly. Call first to keep the frustration level low.
A “Visitors Guide” listing all antiques shops and specialty shops offering floral services, candles, crafts and contemporary collectibles is available at most of the stores, or call Water Street Antique Mall, 476-5900.
The Wilmington Area Historical Society sponsors the Pioneer Craft Festival from noon to 5 p.m. on the Sunday of the second weekend in October. Learn about life in the mid-19th Century while watching demonstrations by blacksmiths, beekeepers, candlemakers, etc. The co-sponsoring organization, the Water Street Antique Dealers Association, holds a sidewalk sale concurrently.
RICHMOND
Originally a thriving town located on the railroad, Richmond has been a serious antiquing town since the 1960s. Located in McHenry County, 60 miles north of Chicago, it’s known as a spot to find large pieces of furniture.
Architecture is another attraction. Visitors will note that many of the buildings that house the shops in the downtown area are brick and dated 1903 to 1905. These were all built after a disastrous fire on Christmas Eve 1902, which destroyed about 20 buildings. A few buildings from the 1850s that survived the fire are on the outskirts of the business area.
Beautifully restored Victorian Queen Anne “Painted Ladies” in the residential areas surrounding the business district add their charm to the ambience.
Richmond has about 12 antiques shops and another 15 speciality and gift shops, some rather intriguing, such as a genealogy shop, a country craft mall and a candy shop that has been making hand-dipped chocolates and confections since 1919. For a complete listing, call 678-4040 to get the booklet “Richmond, Illinois, A Village of Yesteryear.”
A few highlights:
905 Emporium (10310 Main St.; 678-4414) is a multi-dealer shop of nine vendors on three floors packed with a wide range of choices from fine antique furniture to Civil War memorabilia, old ink wells and rare $400 marbles. One dealer carries furnishings and collectible items from the 1960s and 1970s, another is into Star Wars collectibles, still another specializes in kitchen items.
A Little Bit Antiques (5603 Broadway; 678-4218) offers, as its name indicates, little bit of everything, but specializes in light fixtures, including converted gas light fixtures dating to the 1800s.
A Step Above Antiques (5626 Broadway; 678-6906) is a seven-room shop offering new merchandise displayed on antique furniture and furnishings.
Antiques on Broadway (13910 Main St.; 678-7951) specializes in fine refinished furniture in oak, walnut and mahogany, including dining room sets, bedroom sets and some architectural pieces such as doors and wood trim from torn down houses dating from turn-of-the-century into the 1930s and 1940s.
Cat’s Stuff Antiques & Collectibles (5627 Broadway; 678-7807), located in an old farmhouse built in 1832, offers a general line of antiques (no furniture) and collectibles including glassware, jewelry, primitives and toys.
Rose Peddler’s Wife & Co. (10315 Main St.; 678-3802) is noted for its vintage Victorian dresses, hats, gloves, jewelry and large supply of vintage linens. The shop also carries antique dressers, sofas and other furniture, old and new painted furniture, and a new line of clothing with a vintage look by designer April Cornell.
Ragthyme Too (10329 Main St.; 678-7901) offers antique furniture — mainly Victorian tables and chairs — along with a new line of country pine furniture, floral wreaths, candles, dolls, bears and decorative scarecrows and snowmen.
The Richmond Flea Market (5707 Liberty St.) is an indoor market of 23 years standing, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, 52 weeks a year. An average of 25 dealers (the number varies with the seasons) offer “just about everything from computers on down,” says organizer Ralph Wells, who adds that antique shop owners “comb through the market first thing on Saturday morning, looking for anything that’s old,” an indication hunting is good here. For more information, call 414-279-5927.
WHY NOT SHOP AND SLEEP TOO?
Here are some choices if you want to spend the night. Rates are per room with private bath and include breakfast.
Sandwich — The English Rose Bed and Breakfast (910 N. Lafayette St.; 815-786-7900) is a Cape Cod cottage dating from 1937. Located within walking distance of town, it’s furnished with antiques and has an extensive English perennial garden, which is what inspired its name. Three rooms, $95-$150.
Wilmington — Andrews Manor (116 S. Kankakee St.; 815-476-1055) is a restored Victorian residence that’s been converted into a cozy bed-and-breakfast. Located two blocks east of the antique district. Light repasts are available from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday to non-guests. Four rooms, $65-$95.
Richmond — The Gazebo House Bed and Breakfast (10314 East St.; 815-678-2505) is housed in an Italianate Victorian Painted Lady downtown and has non-traditional, comfortable furnishings. Two rooms, $89 and $109.
