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Text by Mary Forsell •
Event Photography by Angela Harbison
It looks like a mirage festive tents dotting polo grounds on a summer day.
No musty boxes of Aerosmith records or shiny black laminate headboards
posing as Deco. Just genuine stuff displayed with care. Founded in 2003
by interior designer Suzy Stout, A Day in the Country, an antiques and
vintage fair in Oak Brook, Illinois, is a fundraiser for the town's historic
Graue Mill, a former stop on the Underground Railroad. When Suzy strolls
through with her sister, Chicago painter Sally Weaver, her pride is
evident. "The first year alone, we took the mill out of the red,"
says Suzy, who handpicks all 75 dealers.
The combination of the sunshine and stuff kick up our endorphin levels. Noticebly absent are grumpy dealers and grubby customers. "I'm having the best time of all," Suzy says. A veteran antiquer (featured in the first-ever Saturday Morning column), Suzy knows just what elements make a great show: inspired booth design, reasonable prices, and a range of goods that rewards both the budget shopperand the big spender. Once you're in hunting and gathering mode, it's hard to stop. Fortunately, the area -- just 30-minutes train ride from Chicago -- rewards with ample foraging. You might find your heart's desire at Jackson Square Mall in La Grange, where 45 dealers offer vintage wares ranging from Esatlake tables table to kitchen paraphernalia. Or ditch the car for a walking tour of Hinsdale, whose bevy of chic and charming boutiques include furnishings favorite Robin's Egg Blue and clothing mecca Sweet William. "But you could go also go to Evanston and Winnetka -- there are wonderful stores up there," say Sally, a shopper after every woman's heart. "Oh, and don't forget about Naperville and Glen Ellyn..."
(a) Suzy tries out the merchandise. (b) Glove forms could hold your rings or just
wave hello. (c) Artsy artifacts include printer's blocks and a tin flour
container. (d) Roman numerals from an old-fashioned lawn game whose rules are
now a mystery. (e) Sally scored a suite of Swedish-style chairs. "We just
added a room to our home, so I had a good excuse to buy something. Of course, I
always have some excuse."
cloche encounters
(f) Mannequins sport stylish headgear. (g) "Duz does
everything, "promises a 50-year-old laundry box, coveted by antique clothing
store owners, who use them as mood pieces. Hey, wouldn't a grouping look great
in your laundry room? (h) Dealers set up under tents at dawn, but only the
diehard antiquers arrive at 8:30. Most roll in after 10, coffee in hand. (i)
Vintage chocolate and gelatin molds with scalloped designs could have a second
life as candy boxes.
(j) The real McCoy and other ceramics in a sunny tableau.
Suzy only invites participants who pass the "display test."
Fun of the Mill page
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