The Quintessential Sunday Afternoon


Now that spring is upon us and the weather is beautiful, I’m back to enjoying one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities: Taking in the antique shops at the corner of 50th and Xerxes. The intersection is filled with locally owned specialty shops, from antiques, to coffee, to vinegars and oils, all well worth a visit or two… or three.

There are three shops on the corner I always have to buzz through: Loft Antiques, Hunt & Gather, and Piccadilly Prairie.

Loft Antiques

Right, smack dab on the corner, this is a very traditionally stocked antique shop. The shop is two floors, of which the basement is adorably structured with faux shingles and porches. You’ll find a number of impressive furniture pieces here, as well as smaller items that could have come out of Grandma’s house back in the day. And as a bonus, staff is just as authentic as the merchandise. Always up to lending a hand, telling a story, or helping you find that one piece you’re searching for. I’ve scored a number of vintage soda bottles here, my collectable weakness. Hop over to their Facebook page to learn more.

The faux roofed basement, a collection of vintage cameras

 

Hunt & Gather

This beast of a shop is not for the faint of heart. If you want something quirky, and you want it in bulk, this is the place for you. The shop is two floors as well, packed to the gills with piles of spare scrabble tiles, billiard balls, and thousands of license plates cut apart by letter and number. I don’t know how they do it, but the store is always different, expertly stacked and Jenga-ed to the ceiling. I’ve found some of my vintage soda bottles here, as well as piles of wood cut type (a weakness to graphic designers as a whole). Even if you’re not looking to buy, this is the perfect place for some eye candy, discovery, and no doubt entertainment. Their Facebook page is always being updated with new items if you want to take a peek!

The endless basement, and spare Scrabble tiles in bulk

 

Piccadilly Prairie

Just south of the intersection off Xerxes is the smallest of the shops. A preciously arranged selection of antiques, and vintage inspired goods such as mason jar candles, mason jar soap pumps (one of which has a new home in my bathroom!), and vintage sinks turned flower planters. Even if they lost the darling interior, I’d still come back just for the staff. Very knowledgeable, always up for conversation, and you know they’re passionate about their shop. Check out their Facebook to see more of their shop!

The shabby chic interior, and hand poured mason jar candles