The Past In The Present
Smokestack Vintage's room in Art & Architecture.
I like spaces that feel lived-in. Without the right accoutrements, new construction feels sterile. Antique and vintage furnishings tell more of a story than new pieces. That’s not to say that good new pieces should be avoided or don’t break in well, but when the option comes down to something new or something old, opt for the latter. You’ll feel the difference in your surroundings, and surrounding oneself in beautiful places with beautiful furnishings enhances life's simple pleasures.
Vintage chandeliers and abundant art make Spyhouse's North Loop outpost a paradise for both minimalists and maximalists.
One of my favorite places to write is Spyhouse Coffee’s North Loop location because of the decor. The coffee shop’s shell is Dwell-influenced mid-century modern, but the decor looks straight out of Apartamento magazine (the anti-Dwell). Antique curios dot the shelves and walls and customers opt to sit on one of the many vintage stools beneath the marble countertops. This is the merging of cool modernism and homey warmth, something which Spyhouse excels at in each of their four locations. They take the trope of coffee shop eclecticism and turn it on its head, taking it upscale without adding pretense.
Where the T. Rex lives and reigns.
T-Rex Cookie & Coffee Cafe - in my Minneapolis neighborhood - has found their footing in a similar, yet more ironic, way. Dinosaur curios dot the interior since the coffee shop is the home of the legendary, monstrous T. Rex Cookie. The eclectic vibe and strong, St. Paul-roasted Bootstrap Coffee make it a great place to meet friends and share a cookie (since one is too much - except at breakfast). Most of the pieces in the shop are for sale courtesy of the antique shop next door, Art & Architecture. Each time I enter Art & Architecture, I have to exhibit serious restraint. Maybe it’s because the gorgeous green Chesterfield sofa keeps calling my name, but between a strong selection of vintage sign letters, good literary finds (including a first edition of Norman Mailer’s controversial 1973 biography Marilyn) and rooms taken directly out of legendary local architect Edwin Lundie’s now-departed Sweatt house on Lake Minnetonka (the wood-paneled library can be yours for only $38,500) a trip to the store could bankrupt me in the best way possible. Make sure you check out Smokestack Vintage’s space, where said Chesterfield couch resides. The dealer’s sensibilities parallel mine and when I was in there this week, his set-up looked like my dream living room, complete with a vintage picnic table, reimagined custard shop sign and a taxidermied goat, with a smattering of succulents and vintage liquor bottles to boot.
These places to sip coffee in and buy furniture and curios from are the tip of the Twin Cities’ vintage iceberg. Knowing where to shop, however, is no substitute for training the eye. If you’re already an antique freak, then browse away. If you’re starting out, much like myself, don’t be afraid to ask for help in places that match your style sensibilities. You’ll become a frequent antiquer in no time.
Locations: Art and Architecture, Spyhouse North Loop, T-Rex Cookie & Coffee Cafe