Harlequin Vintage Opens In Wicker Park With Funky Lamps, Paintings, Furnishings And Additional

WICKER PARK — A keep offering handpicked finds from two longtime antique and classic resellers has opened in Wicker Park.

Harlequin Vintage, 1418 W. Division St., is the initial brick-and-mortar store for Melissa Beilstein and Dave Rubin, who have been buying and advertising vintage lamps, paintings, glassware, furnishings and much more for many years.

The duo satisfied in 2020 when Beilstein stopped by Dave’s apartment to examine out a starburst clock he was offering on the web. Although there, they strike it off about Rubin’s extensive assortment of paintings and glassware, and the two stayed in touch.

Quickly, they begun going to estate profits and other events, and they ultimately went in on a storage device to dwelling their wares although reselling them on-line.

“We just had type of a common fascination. We both equally were a minor bit over the best with our collecting and shopping for points. And she preferred what I purchased I appreciated what she purchased,” Rubin said.

Now, they’ve opened the Division Road store to personally link with customers and shop their ever-escalating eclectic selection, together with “rain” lamps with slipping lights and light-up paintings. The shop also has household furniture, information, stereos and clothing, among a lot of other finds.

It is a medley of Rubin and Beilstein’s style and passion for collecting.

“Aesthetically, if I like a thing, she commonly likes it. She understands what I like I know what she’s likes. We’ll be at a rummage sale or some thing, a swap-me, and some matters I’ll just go up just waiting around for her to capture it,” Rubin stated.

Credit rating: Quinn Myers/Block Club Chicago

Credit score: Quinn Myers/Block Club Chicago

All through the early times of the COVID-19 pandemic, classic household furniture and housewares observed a boom in desire, particularly on social media. Quite a few resellers commenced flipping items on Instagram, attracting customers who ended up caught in their residences.

Beilstein reported that spike surely impacted her online small business, and that led to her seeking to open up a physical retail outlet.

“One of the issues I cherished was my residence throughout the pandemic,” she claimed. “But I also realized there is so considerably that I can give again to the vintage universe. And that sort of is what led me in the way of doing the shop. For the reason that I was like, ‘OK, it’s time to permit go of this things.’”

Since opening this drop, Harlequin Classic has joined a escalating crop of vintage outlets in the West Town and Wicker Park spot, such as River Otter, Place! and PTD Vintage.

Beilstein mentioned she sees her and Rubin’s store as aspect of that more substantial pattern, but she also wants to make absolutely sure its merchandise continue being obtainable to shoppers.

“We want to be equipped to afford to pay for it so that we can price tag it moderately so anyone can come in in this article and get it property,” she said. “From my practical experience, we have bought a great deal of antique and classic retailers … that are far more like museums, the place you go in and anything is a pair thousand bucks and you ooh and you ahh but don’t consider anything at all property.”

Among the numerous items only found at Harlequin are Rubin’s handmade lamps, which he converts from outdated film projectors. Rubin does a great deal of the wiring and electrical do the job on the light-weight-up paintings, lamps and stereos, he explained.

Harlequin Vintage is open 4-9 p.m. Fridays and midday-8 p.m. weekends. For an appointment all through other instances, prospects can get in touch with or text 847-208-1112. Far more facts is out there on the store’s website and Instagram.

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