The Destination
Ravenswood Antique Mart, 4727 North Damen Avenue; 773-271-3700

The Owner
John Vlachos’s first brush with 20th-century design was watching the demolition of the art deco theatres that neighbored his boyhood home in West Lake View. Years later, he began buying vintage furniture, jewelry, and decorative accessories, and along the way met others with a similar passion. Now he has created a place where he and his friends can offer their treasures, which represent five decades of modern design.

The Vibe
The phrase “antique mall” typically evokes images of dusty goods piled in corners and boxes overflowing with questionable trinkets. That’s not the case with this well-lit and beckoning mart, which, because of its modern bent, is more aptly described as vintage than antique.

The Goods
Shoppers who stroll down the wide aisles will find something rewarding at every turn, from a funky Lucite table clock ($195) and a slender set of Formica-topped stacking tables ($350) to a pop-era mushroom-shaped lamp ($48). A set of four sturdy plastic stacking chairs ($450) in orange or chocolate brown become sophisticated when paired with a Danish expandable dining table ($750); imagine yourself seated at the head of the table, adorned by dramatic French Galalith (similar to Bakelite) jewelry (from $30 to $450) or in a vibrant silk tie ($8).

The Verdict
From deco to disco, the most comprehensive selection of modern design available in Chicago.