Antique, resale shops claim a holiday of their own with Vintage Store Day
Emma Lewis, the owner of Rare Form in Chicago, believes that vintage stores deserve a day dedicated to them. So, she created one. May 17 will be Vintage Store Day.
Apparently, Lewis isn’t the only one who thinks it’s a good idea. Over 700 stores across the country — and counting — have agreed to participate. Locally, that includes Jackson Square Mall and Blue Coral Vintage in La Grange, Heart’s Desire Antiques and La Grange Park Antique Mall in La Grange Park, and Mabel’s Market in Lemont.
Like the successful Record Store Day and Comic Book Store Day promotions that have caught on nationwide, organizers hope Vintage Store Day will become an annual tradition and spur visits to locally owned businesses.
“I hope the communities of customers for all the vintage stores will come out and show their support and hopefully go to more than one store,” Lewis said. “We actually have a passport that we designed so that you can get a sticker at each store that you go to and then mail in your passport to be entered for a gift certificate to a store of your choosing.”
A large number of the participating shops are in Illinois, but shops in 42 states will celebrate the day. “I spent months sending thousands of emails,” Lewis reported. I really tried to include every urban area that I could think of.”
The owners of Lost Girl in Chicago, Sarah Azzouzi and Kyla Embrey, are cofounders of Vintage Store Day.
Lewis plans to give a discount on her antique prints and give one away for Vintage Store Day. She will also give away tote bags.
Therese O’Sullivan is the owner of Jackson Square Mall at 112 E. Burlington Ave. in La Grange. The Mall opened around 1996; O’Sullivan purchased it in 2020.
“We focus on mainly vintage and antique home décor and furniture,” O’Sullivan said. “We have more than 70 microbusinesses that are residents of Jackson Square Mall. They have anything from vintage candlesticks and artwork to midcentury modern furniture. There’s a lot of vintage toys from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.”
O’Sullivan said the Mall offers a start for small businesses. “This is a great way to give them the experience of being in a retail environment and succeed,” O’Sullivan said. “We have an online store and we market heavily.”
O’Sullivan reported that Vintage Store Day cofounder Lewis was once a dealer in the Jackson Square Mall.
The dealers at the Mall will all be running specials on Vintage Store Day, O’Sullivan said. In addition, they will give double-points in the Mall’s loyalty program that day.
“We’re also going to raffle off a $50 gift card,” O’Sullivan said. “We’ll have coffee and some sweet treats out.”
Blue Coral Vintage, another business located in the Jackson Square Mall, is not part of O’Sullivan’s group of vendors, but rents space in the Mall. It will also be participating in Vintage Store Day. They specialize in “treasures for your home and wardrobe,” according to their Facebook page.
Ellen Vanderhoof is one of the dealers at the La Grange Park Antique Mall which has been located at 800 E. 31st St. in La Grange Park for about 25 years. In the last five years, the venue has been a dealer-run mall.
Vanderhoof has sold merchandise at the Mall for about seven years. “My booth and my merchandise fall under this category of Boho,” she said. “I have ethnic arts, textiles, vintage pottery, some jewelry, and vintage and boho clothing.”
There is a wide variety of items available from the many dealers in the Mall, including glassware, coins, vintage clothing, Victorian items and ‘70s items, among other specialties, Vanderhoof said.
She said dealers at the La Grange Park Antique Mall have a number of things planned for Vintage Store Day. “We have surprise sales, special discounts on selected items and selected dealers,” she said. There will also be raffles and beverages.
“We’re really excited about it,” Vanderhoof said.
Heart’s Desire Antiques at 1014 E. 31st St. in La Grange Park is also participating in Vintage Store Day. That shop specializes in “one-of-a-kind antiques,” according to its website, which shows a wide variety of clothing, decorative items, and more.
Sommer Steele opened Mabel’s Market at 307 Canal St. in Lemont in 2015. “I do vintage antiques, handmade, small batch gifts, and I do a lot of refinishing of furniture.”
She was inspired to get into this business because “I grew up with a dad who loved antiques and he loved repurposing old items,” Steele explained.
Her business will be doing a grab bag with any purchase on Vintage Store Day. “We have a bowl that has different prizes—it might be a discount or a candle,” Steele said.
She has high praise for Vintage Store Day. “This was such an awesome way to be able to say we’re a community, we’re not in competition, especially in the vintage antique market where almost every piece is unique,” Steele said.
