- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Brownstone Antiques and Collectibles
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 6 pm
Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
27 reviews for Brownstone Antiques and Collectibles
Review Highlights
-
"I found some great furniture and inspiration in here." In 3 reviews -
"Update: I recently scored a 1940's Royal typewriter for $35." In 5 reviews -
"Currently contemplating the $150 vintage wooden desk in..." In 6 reviews
Loading...
27 reviews in English
-
Review from Todd Z.
Elmhurst, IL
5/10/2012
This place is great fun to go digging for unique pieces. They have everything you can imagine here. Great prices too!
Last time I went I saw a great set of decorative stairs outside. I went back for them after eating lunch and they were gone! Make sure you buy right away when you see something here. -
Review from Gretchen D.
Grand Rapids, MI
11/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you are looking for a classy elegant antiquing experience, go elsewhere. This place is crammed with stuff. It's dirty. It's fun.
If you love rooting through things looking for a fabulous find, reasonably priced, then you should head here. It's the thrill of the hunt! -
Review from Kirsten A.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 2/2/2012
This place is crazy, it's still a clusterf**k of stuff but there are lots of great furniture pieces at decent prices if you're willing to dig. They have trays and trays of jewelry all crammed in the front case, although everything is so jumbled together and the owner isn't the happiest to dig through it. The rest of the store is really reasonably priced, but the jewelry is expensive. At least, I think jewelry should be cheap if it's shoved in a bin with some broken pieces and next to an old Butterfinger wrapper. But if you like the thrill of the hunt, this place is for you.
Listed in: Something Old, A Vintage…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/3/2009
You know if you like to dig and DIG and can waddle through the tiny tiny walkways you can score some… Read more »
-
-
Review from Viviana R.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2011
I've bought furniture here twice. The 1st time was a huge pottery barn sofa that they delivered. I mention the delivery part because they went over and above the usual service required. I mean that literally! My roommate at the time could not get the back gate opened so the deliverymen (who are also the store owners) climbed the gate, passed the huge sofa over it and then hiked it up to the 3rd floor for us! Thanks again!
The most recent purchase was an art deco highboy I purchased for a $100 plus delivery, which they delivered that same day.
This store is always worth a stop to check out what they have. It is overcrowded with stuff but when you find that one gem at that perfect price, it's all worth it! -
Review from Kevin B.
Chicago, IL
12/3/2011
Unique finds at reasonable prices! They always have new merchandise arriving, so check them out when you are in Andersonville!
-
Review from Jonny S.
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is what I want out of an antique store. Stuffed piled onto stuff, which means you have dig sometimes to find treasures. But that's part of the fun right? You can pretend you're on American Pickers. Wife dug through a plastic bin and found a fabulous vintage hat. Owners are friendly and knowledgeable and will help you find what you're looking for. Prices are extremely reasonable too.
-
Review from Brenda D.
Chicago, IL
4/21/2011
I love this store. It's filled with treasures ranging in price from a few bucks up into the hundreds. You'll find vintage jewelry, clothing, art, furniture ranging from fine antiques to second hand but usable, and the occasional my God that's weird I have to have it item.
The owners Tim and Bob are great guys who are willing to deal on certain items, and will deliver what you can't manage to get home on your own.
New things come in most everyday. This really is a store you want to keep dropping by at least once or more a week. Everyday if it were possible would be the best. You really never know what these guys are going to come up with next. -
Review from Matthew S.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2007
I have never left empty handed.
The overhead is low, so the prices are too. No pretense here, but be prepared to dig, and don't wear anything you don't want to get dirty. The shop needs a good dusting - but again, less over head, lower prices.
I have literally furnished my apartment (used to live right upstairs) with this place. The pieces are in good shape, and the guys that own it have good eyes for style. Once you get the piece(s) home, give them a good polish or wash. Its easy!
There are bargains to be had, and the stock changes VERY frequently. They put stuff out on the sidewalk in the mornings, but it goes fast. If you like it, buy it. It won't be there later.
I purchased a deco dresser set there, and they polished it up before I came back to pick it up. They don't bother you and ask if they can help you find things - know what you are looking for and DIG!
This is totally my favorite antique shop in the city. It is affordable, and in a great location. An Andersonville gem.Listed in: Andersonville Delights, Born to Shop
-
Review from Crista L.
7/7/2011
eh... I allowed Yelp Reviews to guide me to Brownstone and I'm sure I'll never go back.
Any Salvation Army location is cleaner than Brownstone. Shit is piled on top of shit in this store and everything is dusty. How can you even tell if you are looking at a decent item underneath huge piles of dust?
I did find a vintage vanity table with a chair that I was mildly interested in. On top of the vanity was a pile of shit piled with dust and I'm convinced it would have taken me at least an hour to dig the vanity out. I quickly decided I wasn't going to do that and I left. -
Review from Nilda R.
Chicago, IL
11/8/2008
You should check it out. It's reliably stocked and reliably surprising.
Some stuff is ridiculously over-priced or could be worth what they're asking. You never know.
The staff could be saccharine or surly. Gotta go in to find out!
Always good for a gander, a $45 milk glass candy dish, a piece to re-varnish and re-purpose, a papasan frame, and a steel filing cabinet.
You don't know what it will be, but you'll be far too curious to keep walking.Listed in: The Next Big Thing
-
Review from Caitlin G.
Chicago, IL
11/9/2009
Most thrift and antique shopping leaves me feeling like my hands are covered in grime. Brownstone leaves me feeling like I just snorted dust straight off that mid-century vanity in the corner and rubbed my face all up in some estate sale fur. In short, it's a bit of dirty experience. But that's okay, cause that's the way I like it.
Prices are, for the most part, reasonable. I've scored wall art, vintage coats and random trinkets for decent prices. Expect some of the pieces to be in need of repair/refurbishing, but every once in a while, you'll find a perfect gem at a price you can't refuse.
The staff stays out of your business which is nice, though I've had them shove my purchases into itsy-bitsy bags which is not as nice.
Look out for the goods on the street and don't hesitate. I've had many an item nearly snatched up straight from my hands. It's a thrifter-eat-thrifter world out there on Clark Street--just keep your hands, noses and mouths off the aisle lined with china cabinets and hutches. That's all mine for after I rub my face in the furs.Listed in: Andersonville: The Little…
-
Review from kate w.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2009
Man, i wish i was more loquacious so i could do my LOVE for Brownstone justice with flowery adjectives. Quite frankly, this is my happy place.
I walk by the storefront all the time, and whether they are open and have funky wares out on the street, or it's late at night and i'm left to admire the narrative display in their window, there is always something to see and a story to imagine.
Going inside is a slightly different experience. That the story isn't laid out for you in normal fashion. You have to comb trough and find what's there. This place is also my secret weapon for any occasion gifts. I have no idea what their return policy is, i just tell people i give gifts to that they can return it to me and i'll give them cash. In fact, every gift i've ever given from here i was loath to part with, but to give is better than to receive, yes?
At any rate, this store is magnificent. Everything is reasonably priced, more like a thrift store than an antique store, and they have stuff as covetable as Scout and White Attic. I wish i were there right now. -
Review from Dave K.
San Francisco, CA
9/16/2006
I scored a pretty cool desk from this place. Not all that expensive, either. It's a fairly small second-hand store disguised as an "antique" place, with items ranging from black spiral columns to Port glasses. For odd-sized items, they'll even deliver for a small fee.
NOTE: They're now located in a small storefront on Clark. Look for the stuff on the sidewalk. -
Review from Lakshmi R.
Chicago, IL
3/23/2010
I come in here only twice a year and I am always reminded, immediately upon arrival, why it is so much better to keep it that way. The owner of this store finds the most beautiful vintage armchairs, desks and chandeliers. They are usually somewhere between $150-$400 and therefore out of my price range, but my god, even looking at them is a treat. He's got an intriguing pile of vintage jewelry in the glass counter, but it's super disorganized and I have yet to come by when I have time to sort through it all. Definitely on my to-do list.
The good news is that every now and then he'll mark stuff down to under $100, generally things with some minor damage, and put them on the sidewalk for folks to see. I always hope I'll by passing by at just the right moment. That's how I scored my cream-colored, vintage loveseat, a little glass coffeetable, and most recently a few days ago: a darling, comfy, green-and-yellow-striped rocking armchair for my boyfriend. Currently contemplating the $150 vintage wooden desk in there. Sigh. -
Review from Sonia R.
Chicago, IL
8/18/2008
I am a huge fan of this store! It has to be my favorite "antique" place in my hood.
It's a hot mess, but the dig is the most fun! The staff is so helpful and nice.
I scored a few pieces for my store there, and I am usually in there a couple of times a month! :)Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Kendrah R.
Philadelphia, PA
1/5/2010
I agree with Nicoletta on this one. I love that the place is packed with stuff, never know what you will find. I have four great finds in my house from this place. But still I cannot give it a four or five star.
Sometimes the store owners are nice and sometimes they are down right rude. Some of their prices are fantastic and other times you question how the hell they came up with it. Still, I keep going back when I'm doing the andersonville furniture circuit. -
Review from Justin G.
Springfield, MO
9/6/2008
This place is pretty cool. We found an old, heavy, awesome dresser for about $100 -- something that would easily sell for triple that at any other place in town. Like others suggested, we bought it right away knowing it'd be gone if we didn't. After getting it home (they delivered; $20) we put a few coats of white paint on the drawers and it was looking like an $800 piece from White Attic across the street.
The space is small, but there's lots of things to look at. It reminded me of a small town flea market with the prices to match.
My one disappointment was a couple pieces of wood that would have been perfect for wall shelves. I found them leaning up against a wall near the back, and when I went to buy them I was told they weren't for sale as-is because they were a part of a larger bookshelf. Shucks.
Definitely a place to go to every once in a while to see what's new. -
Review from Ryan F.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2011
It is a great place to find antiques for a good price. Beware, it is VERY crammed and do not bring kids. The aisles (more like hoarder paths) are tight.
-
Review from Megan L.
Chicago, IL
1/18/2010
Now this is my kind of place! Sure, it's cramped and dirty, but very rarely do I leave empty-handed. I've come across two wonderful books (one about silent films and another about talkies) and one had several pictures of a delectable 24-year-old Dean Stockwell! Happy days! And, best of all, it had loads and loads of all pictures for me to complete the scrapbook to go along with the trilogy I'm writing. Huzzah! And they were CHEAP, too! I even found a creepy funeral one and some hillbilly wedding pictures. How can you NOT want to buy that if you're a writer looking for folks to represent your characters?
All in all, this store is amazing. I pop in there more often than I should, but that's okay.
Update: I recently scored a 1940's Royal typewriter for $35. It still works, too! I guess some folks are selling the same typewriter for $250 on Ebay, so I got a deal! Huzzah! -
Review from Carolynne M.
Chicago, IL
2/19/2008
Seriously, if you see something you like, BUY IT RIGHT THEN. I cant tell you how many times I saw just the perfect thing and came back the next day to buy it and it was gone. Shop is dirty, way too small and one hot mess, like trying to shop in someones storage unit, but the prices are really good for Andersonville.
Listed in: Hello Mr. Anderson-ville, Anti-Ques
-
Review from Mary T.
Chicago, IL
10/29/2008
Yesterday I was looking for a chair I could reupholster for a class I'm starting tonight. I found some great furniture and inspiration in here. It's stuffed to the gills but almost everything had a clearly marked price. The prices were decent too. Some stuff made me say 'Ooh' out loud. Pity I don't have the room for any of it. I ended up buying a chair up the street at Brown Elephant but I'll be back at this place I'm sure.
-
Review from Megan G.
Chicago, IL
10/27/2009
Now this is my kind of place! You have to be ready to get your hands dirty here, but it is well worth it. They have a ton of really gorgeous stuff that just needs the first few layers of dust and maybe a little grime stripped away and you have yourself a beautiful new piece of (insert what you're looking for).
I've been on a search for some shabby chic/vintage/basically not from Target dishes or decor. I am hosting my first Thanksgiving for my family this year and my kitchen is bare bones. So I was on the hunt for some pieces that bring it all together and allow me to still afford to eat. This place was just perfect. My mom and I dug through piles of china, furniture, light fixtures, furniture, clothing and general knick knackery and came out with a beautiful bone china cream and sugar bowl set and some hand painted plates of different shapes and sizes. The cream and sugar set was priced at $15 but was able to talk him down to $12 and the plates were a dollar a piece. $15 cash, out the door. There was other beautiful items that I would have scooped up if I had the cash such as a purple upholstered wing back chair that had me drooling but was priced around $200. Worth the money... Someone else's money. Next time! -
Review from Ayako M.
12/13/2009
Brownstone is one of the few antique shops I actually check out on a regular basis. Yes, it is....well, haphazard, I guess is the best word. But how often do you go into an antique shop and leave empty handed because all the beautifully displayed objects are overpriced? It's like a much more upscale Brown Elephant. I've found some great little pieces here and friends have found some awesome mid-century furniture for under $50 (I never have and I'm extremely jello of the fact!). I think this is a great little shop, with pieces priced to move. Unpretentious and fun!
-
Review from hey a t.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2008
I found some great Waterford pieces. They gave me a great price. It's a little cluttered, that is why I gave them only 3 stars. It's like a big treasure hunt. I hope you find a treasure on your next outing their.
-
Review from Jill C.
Chicago, IL
10/22/2009
I love this place. The owners are really nice guys and I think the taste level/quality of their offerings is pretty high. Also, their delivery charge is so cheap compared to other furniture stores. The store is crowded and there are some items that read more junk shop than antique store, but overall, I am so happy with the furniture I've bought from here and I check back frequently for more.
-
Review from Phil O.
Chicago, IL
7/24/2010
Got some ok stuff, nice how they charge sane prices for random tchotchkes, that some other stores may gouge you for. Got some ok furniture, may visit again when in the area.
-
Review from Katie E.
Oak Park, IL
8/4/2008
I love this store. It is dirty and almost overwhelmingly crowded, but they have great stuff for great prices. (they rival most thrift shops in town.) The owners are nice, too, which is an added bonus. I second the suggestion of snatching something up when you see it, because things turn over really fast. Great spot!
