though i have lived in cleveland since 9 yrs old, the west side (of cleveland) was as foreign to me as alaska. and even though i have lived in lakewood for 2 years now, i have never really explored the "antiques of lorain avenue"...until today.

i was really impressed by the range of selection in all these stores. we didn't get to go to nearly all the stores, of the ones we went to, there were 3 that really stood out to me: bijou, reincarnation, and craftsman's *.

bijou's inventory is your traditional antique ware. the size of their collection and the quality of the items is what is impressive. spread out on 2 floors and a lot of square footage, they have separate showing room dedicated to a variety of styles and time periods. the presentation makes the experience pleasant and it's easy to envision the pieces nestle in your own home. tho the price tag is a bit heavy, every item is worth it for the true antique connoisseur.

craftsman* is located just a few doors down and is much different. for starters, it's a lot smaller...and a lot cheaper. craftsman takes antique items and presents them in an artistic manner. example: a glass jar of antique buttons, or an old machinery table as a console table, or a wooden cart as storage. there is such beauty in taking cast aside items and turning them into objet d'art. we purchased a 10 unit apothecary cabinet for $160. same price as something from target, but with a lot more interest.

reincarnation is by far my favorite out of the whole bunch. in a lofty warehouse setting, this out of the box shopping experience really challenges the way that we've been trained to look at objects. the husband and wife proprietors are carpenters, designers, inventors, and salvagers, all in one. the items they create by reusing and reinterpreting antique furniture, fixtures, and decorations are truly mind-bending. "We take vintage furniture and home accessories and redesign them for contemporary use, for today's lifestyle. We try to make things more functional and fun," says Cindy Nicholson, who has co-owned Reincarnation with her husband, Ron, for eight years. before you stop into target for that shabby chic chair, or world market for that ethnically flavored table, take a trip to reincarnation, what you find will be beyond your expectations.


* i'm pretty sure that's the name of the place. but i'm not positive.