North Shore Views

A Tour of Winnetka’s Antiques Shops

In my experience the term, “antique” is often used rather loosely to describe anything that’s “pre-owned,” and anyone’s cast-off junk seems to qualify. But if you want to shop for antiques that actually fit the time-tested definition (”An item which is at least 100 years old and is collected or desirable due to rarity, condition, utility, or some other unique feature.”) then a visit to Winnetka’s antiques shops will be worth your while. You won’t find any old coke bottles, Beanie Babies (with or without the tags) or Hummel figurines here. No, this is the good stuff, which is just what you’d expect in a village like Winnetka.

So let’s take a little tour, starting at the southernmost shop and working our way north to Hubbard Woods.

Country Shop

710 Oak St., Winnetka, IL
847-441-8690
Hours: Tues. – Sat. 10:00-5:00

The Country Shop is located on Oak St. between Lincoln Ave. and Maple St., with parking on the street right out front. It is the one store in Winnetka that specializes in Americana. It sells early American antiques and reproductions, as well as gifts and accessories to fit a casual or country decor.

M. Stefanich Antiques

569 Lincoln Ave.
847-446-4955
Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10:30-5:00

From the Country Shop, go north on Oak St. a half a block to Lincoln Ave. and turn right. Cross Elm St. and proceed to the end of the block. M. Stefanich will be on your right. You can park on the street for 90 minutes, ample time to browse in both M. Stefanich and Donald Stuart Antiques. M. Stefanich’s specialty is antique silver and fine porcelain.

Donald Stuart Antiques

571 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka
847-501-4454
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10:00-5:00

Right next door to M. Stefanich, Donald Stuart sells English and French furniture, porcelain, prints, lamps and accessories.

Rare Finds

890 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka
847-446-5449
Hours: Mon. – Fri. 11:00-5:00 and Sat. 11:00-4:00

When you leave Donald Stuart, keep driving north on Lincoln Avenue to Pine St. Go left, cross the bridge and turn right on Green Bay Rd. You’ll find the rest of the antiques shops in Hubbard Woods, just a mile up the road.

Rare Finds is the first antique store you come to as you enter Hubbard Woods driving north on Green Bay Rd. It’s a small store on the left, just north of Tower Rd., but it’s packed with beautiful 18th and 19th century antiques from England and France. Some of the more unusual items are the Victorian bamboo furniture, porcelain spirit jugs from old pubs, peat buckets painted with crests, inlaid boxes and antique fireplace furnishings (one of their specialties).

Pagoda Red Antiques

902 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka
847-784-8881
Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10:00 to 5:00

On the same side of the street is Pagoda Red, which specializes in 19th Century Chinese furniture and decorative arts for the home and garden. They also represent a number of Chinese emerging artists and other Asian-inspired contemporary artists. Be sure and visit the scholar’s garden behind the store. It’s a sensory delight, filled with Asian sculptures, fountains and garden ornaments.

Monckton Gallery

913 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka
847-446-1106
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10:00-4:30

On the other side of the street is Monckton Gallery, which features over 10,000 antique maps and prints. They also provide custom mounting and framing.

Antique Emporium

915 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka
847-446-0584
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9:30-5:30 and Sat. 10:00-5:00

Next door to Monckton Gallery is Antique Emporium, the largest of Winnetka’s antique stores. It has an atrium running the length of the showroom, which is filled with country English and French furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries (and a few things older than that). While there are many antique tables, hutches, desks and trunks, there are also some more unusual items, like  19th century English telescope and a 19th century suit of armor, which can be yours for a mere $8,750. There’s a beautiful Welsh dresser right inside the door, which looked more like a hutch to me, but apparently the name dresser comes from the fact that this is where the servants would dress the food before serving it. The store also sells antique reproductions, which are custom made in England. And they do state of the art restoration, according to manager, Steve Potter.

Knightsbridge Antiques

928 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka
847-441-5105
Hours: Tues. – Sat. 11:00-4:30

Knightsbridge Antiques specializes in 18th and early 19th Century English antique furniture, prints and engravings, Chinese porcelain and 18th and 19th Century English pottery and porcelain, Delft pottery and fine decorative accessories.

Maclund Gallery

1011 Tower Ct., Winnetka
847-441-7890

Once you’ve been to the stores on the main drag (Green Bay Rd.) head back south to Tower Rd, turn left and left again into the alley, where you’ll find a special treat. Maclund Gallery is “like the doorway to a British hunting lodge,” with sporting art from the 19th century as well as porcelain and decorative accessories that celebrate the hunt. The shop also features fine silver, paintings and jewelry. You can see photos of their wares at www.maclund.com.

Related articles:

• Wilmette’s Antiques Row

Tags: Antiques

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 at 5:31 pm and is filed under Local gems, Winnetka. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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