A Gridley Antiques

Happened into this store last Friday with my wife. She loves browsing while I am not big into antique shopping. HOwever, I found the store to be filled with lots of neat things to look at. What impressed me most is Jim’s ability to make you feel at home and that you are very special to him. He discounted our two items without even us asking and we left with two great purchases at a very favorable price and THAT makes us want to come back.
I was also invited into the «coffee klatch» that was a wonderful group of people that kept coming in, saying hello, and leaving only to be replaced by two more good people. Jim attracts good people and I think you will like how you treat YOU as well.

I am a thrift-​store hound and this is a fine collector’s emporium so we didn’t have much in common. I was super excited up on entering and seeing the wall-​to-​wall, up to the ceiling items but then my excitement balloon deflated as I quickly realized I was out of my comfort zone on prices. After perusing the entire 2 floors, the cheapest item I saw was $ 85. One a set of 2 tiny figurines. In all honesty, a couple of rooms were so overpacked that I could barely go in, so possibly some less expensive items were lurking in the mix. There are TONS of treasures in here but they are definitely priced as treasures! I’m not actually sure how that old building is even holding up all that stuff inside, I would be scared to see what the basement joists look like…

This place is big, and you’d better take your time if you want to visit it carefully: there are 6 rooms downstairs and 6 upstairs. Moreover, this place is only open on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
I saw the sign by chance while driving into the city center. I parked almost in front, strolled over and found myself in wonderland. They have wonderful things and others that I found absolute crap. And the two elderly ladies who were running it (I understand that the place belongs to a man who was not present) were highly buyable as characters in a local Agatha Christie novel.
They were very eager to help, but unfortunately did not know anything about the business: I asked about the ‘yellow ware’ — I had never heard of it before and found it quite a bit more expensive than the other stoneware — but to no avail. I asked about some Chinese china as well — without a result.
Personally, I found there was a lot of junk (may be due to my lack of knowledge of the items and their history), but I found some simple but beautiful pieces of furniture (e.g a chest of drawers in cherrywood) at — for me — good prices. Certainly worth visiting.

Gridley Antiques is hands down the best antique store in down state Illinois. The owners have amazing taste and the prices are VERY reasonable. The place is just magical! They decorate their eight rooms in period holiday style. It’s just a wonderful place to go and shop. They have a wide variety of American 19^th and 20^th C. furniture, rugs, lighting fixtures, pictures, ceramics, and nicknacks. A friendly and helpful staff that is eager to please. I LOVE THIS PLACE!

A jam-​packed antique store filling two floors of two adjacent buildings in downtown Bloomington (across the street from Central Station).
Although the selection is very good– everything from furniture, to rugs, to art, to lamps, to bric-​à-​brac— the hours are very limited and they do not accept credit cards.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Jim & Andy at A Gridley. I have purchased several pieces… including a very rare Shaker bench from the early 1900’s.
This last week, I found a sconce that I really liked… and a shade of slag glass. Jim and Brendan took the time to rewire it for me, as well as replace the ugadoo switch with something more period.
Their taste is exquisite. Their prices are VERY fair and they love what they do. Yes, they are only open on Friday and Saturday, but that is what the industry can handle. And no, they do not take credit cards. They take checks and cash.