Store

There are few rules here, but according to the owners, every item in the store must have a "cool factor" to it. Cool, of course, is a subjective thing, but most of the stuff here was the pinnacle of hip at some time from the 1950s through the 1970s - and for the most part, is at long-lost-era prices. There are lots of places to sit your nostalgic self down here - Saarinen barstools; leather and chrome Barcelona chairs in the style of Mies Van der Rohe; Eames knockoffs; and a Gilbert Rohde "Z" chair at a chrome-rimmed dinette, for starters. The style-conscious office dweller can indulge in metal tables and cabinets stripped of all paint and polished to a high shine or - gasp! - a rotary-dial phone.

And if you're not ready to go full-on retro, take heart in the small accessories such as "mod" wrapping paper in silly colors and patterns, vinyl placemats with homey mushroom designs, and lighting fixtures that make you miss your grandparents.

Tip: Inventory turns over quickly, so if you see something you like, get it out of there quick.

By Vanessa McGrady
Special to NWsource