The summer air is warm; the brilliant flowers in bloom, and lovely antique shop displays spill out onto the sun-heated sidewalk, heralding the season and beckoning you in. Now is the perfect time for an antique excursion. And with so many of these delightful shops in our midst, there's no need to travel far. In fact, you can take advantage of this lovely weather and reach some of them on foot. So go on in, take your time, relax, peruse, stroll from one to the next; summer will be here for a while.
To help you out, we put together a guide to your Edina antiquing excursion, complete with an overview on some of those fabulous shops. Because it’s always fun to buy furniture in those shops, we highlighted a few pieces that caught our attention.
So, slip on your comfortable shoes, grab a cup of coffee for the road, and get antiquing!
Hunt & Gather (4944 Xerxes, 612.455.0250), with its 7,500 square feet of antique, vintage, kitschy, funky fun, is the perfect place to start your excursion. From the moment you pull up and spy the aqua and purple awnings, antique metal and wood chairs, and vintage signs artfully displayed along the walkway, well, you’ll know you’re in for a treat.
Step through the doors and a world of wonder awaits. Immense (and extremely cool!) three-tiered chandeliers hang from a tin ceiling and illuminate clever vignettes that boast everything from gilded sconces to furniture to silver platters to antique snowshoes to lamps to post office bins to succulent plants. With 22 dealers who offer up their unique perspectives and styles, including Industrial, Rustic, French, Retro, Folk, and Kitsch, there is something for everyone. Yes, everyone.
One entire room is devoted to H & G’s signature items: numbers and letters. Here, a whimsically-patterned floor is the quintessential accompaniment to the cardboard, plastic and metal pieces—in a plethora of colors and sizes—that dangle playfully from the ceiling, lean against walls, and stack on chairs and shelves; their miniature counterparts spill out of tiny bins here and there.
But if it’s furniture pieces you’re after, Hunt and Gather has a wealth of those, too. A few dandies that we spied on the day we visited included a French-inspired settee with black lacquered and rounded arms, claw feet and an upholstered seat in the perfect shade of buttery yellow—the perfect addition to almost any room; $350.
A tufted, brown leather Freud’s chaise lounge, offers the perfect spot to conjure bold ideas or articulate your deepest thoughts; $242.
A sweet, vintage side table with turned spindle legs is painted in the softest shades of green and cream; $110.
Quite literally across the street is stop number two on our antiquing junket. Loft Antiques (3022 West 50th St., 612.922.4200) has been around for over 30 years, and is a mainstay on the Edina/South Minneapolis antique circuit. In 4,000 square feet of antique delights, you will find primitives, pottery, sterling silver, vintage fabrics, antlers, and that’s just for starters. Store manager Sandy Gillham (who also happens to be the daughter of co-founder, Barb Gillham) reveals that many folks stop in for the shop’s wide selection of early and mid-century furniture; as we spoke, a gal was bringing more furniture onto the sales floor.
We happened upon a few of these beauties as we scoured the nooks and crannies of the space. On the lower level, a black, painted vanity table with delicate cabriole legs, attached oval mirror, and matching tapestry-fabric-covered seat, was a standout; $140. And a stunning claw foot sideboard made from quarter-sawn golden-oak that featured drawers and cupboards, was just aching for a dining room to grace; $475.
A hop, skip and a jump, and you’re at C. W. Smith (4388 France Ave. S., 952.922.8542). To say that Vanessa Smith (daughter of Carol Smith, who founded the company over 20 years ago) is knowledgeable and passionate about antiques and antiquities would be considered the understatement of the century. This beautiful, elegant shop is filled with high-quality pieces that have made their way across vast oceans from countries including China, India, Morocco, Afghanistan, England, Tibet, France, and a wealth of others, and Vanessa could lovingly impart where each piece came from, as well as the story behind that piece.
As a direct importer, Vanessa travels frequently, and searches high and low for sought-after items for her clients. But sometimes things just speak to her; and her shop is evidence of that. A Chinese barber stool, which, as Vanessa reveals, was carried by nomadic Chinese barbers, sits near her desk. A round lacquered presentation box made of bamboo that would have been used as a gift rests on a table. Shelves hold rare Chinese artifacts, and an assortment of pots adorns the tops of chests and tables.
The furniture pieces, not surprisingly, are stunning. A pair of art deco Blackwood armchairs, (c. 1930-1940), make a bold, sophisticated statement; $6,000 for the pair.
A Dutch Colonial cupboard, made of brilliant satinwood with ebony accents, is a perfect example of Vanessa’s campaign furniture pieces; $9,500.
Less than half a mile away, you arrive at the next spot: the glamorous, and über-charming, Victory (3505 W. 44th St., 612.926,8200).
Owner, Kerry Ciardelli, travels frequently to Los Angeles, Europe, Morocco and other fascinating destinations to acquire her one-of-a-kind items that keep her shop interesting and fresh; she also runs an interior design service from the space.
The shop is brimming with new, vintage and antique items that would work in any home and with any décor. Color is one of the first things that grabs your attention as you walk into this delightful shop: a stunning bank of open shelving and cupboards along one wall is painted in the most beautiful shade of blue, and perfectly highlights the selection of dainty shell boxes, design and art history books, fresh soaps, fragrant candles and beautiful textiles; antique suitcases flank either side.
Her lovely collection of Uzbekistan Ikat pillows in blues, oranges, yellows and greens are artfully placed here and there. English Chinoiserie lamps, pots and jars in their instantly distinguishable blue and white, grace a center table, while 19th-century primitive paintings harken an earlier time. There are Moroccan leather poofs, silver plated boxes and serving pieces and luxurious French linens.
Kerry’s furniture pieces look as if they come straight out of a decorating magazine. On the day we visited, a gorgeous 1920s French settee with a cane back and gilded legs graced the display window; $2,200.
And a breathtaking late-1800s, hand-painted, Italian armoire in a magnificent pale yellow with gilded accents turned heads; $2,990.
Well, you might need to take a car from here, as it is approximately three miles to the next destination. The next stop on your antiquing tour is Mish Mash (4504B Valley View Rd, 952.8243), a fun, funky shop that is brimming with vintage finds, local artists’ work, and really great people. Yes, it bears repeating, Mish Mash is funky and fun.
(In case you need a bit of energy to get you through the next two spots, you can always pop into Snuffy’s Malt Shop right next door for a quick bite and one of those delicious ice cream concoctions.)
In this 1,600-square foot space co-owned by Annie Schilling and Marlena Barry, you’ll find everything from necklaces handmade from antique Scrabble letters to mid-century dining tables to antique wedding dresses to purses made from old children’s books.
As Schilling likes to say, “We like to make new pieces from old pieces.”
You’ll also find a very sweet dog named Lucy, who, it seems, is the unofficial mascot and greeter of the shop.
Here, painted letters spelling “A-R-T” hang from the well-used rocking horse that is suspended from the ceiling, Vintage wallpaper peeks out from an antique wire shelf; retro and antique jewelry fills bowls and tables, and old schoolhouse desks are painted in vivid colors. Pop crates hang out by a vintage sewing machine. Antique ceramic bunnies cavort on wooden shelves, and dishes peer out of open dresser drawers.
Anything can happen in this whimsical place.
Mish Mash’s furniture pieces are also funky and fun. An oval, mid-century dinette, complete with stainless steel legs and a mint green top, offers a good helping of kitsch and functionality; $132.
And a mid-century, carved-back, oak chair with chartreuse upholstery, would be a delightful spot to sit and enjoy a cup of tea; $125.
Okay, I know you’re getting tired, but hang in there. Our sixth and final spot is Hopkins Antique Mall (1008 Main St., 952.931.9748), and it is 10,000 square feet of antiquing nirvana brought to you by 68 dealers.
Located in a lovely brick building right on Main Street, the Hopkins Antique Mall offers everything from pianos to jewelry to toys to advertising pieces to clothing to vintage Barbies. You’ll find postcards, collectibles, china, books, dolls, antique hardware; heck, anything you could be looking for.
Owners, Al and Patti Bringle, keep the space impeccably clean and extremely well organized.
It was hard to pick a few pieces of furniture because there were so many to choose from, but here goes: I spied a lovely Victorian walnut high-back chair with gold fabric; $295. And an art-deco wardrobe, complete with shelves, drawers and hooks for hanging clothes; $795.
