Main Street Shoppes

A Vintage Wedding & A Happily Ever After!

admin — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:50:40 +0000

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Wedding season is upon us! The question has been popped. The date set. The venue picked. The invitations mailed. What is left to do? Well, just about everything! But don’t panic. The great thing about weddings today is that they are less by the book and more whimsical than in years past. The bride and groom are no longer going for the shiny new look, where the crystal has to sparkle and the silver has to shine. In fact, who uses crystal and silver these days? Practically nobody! The bride and groom want the day to reflect their love for one another. They want it to reflect their style. They want everyone to feel comfortable and at home. And, of course, they want romance to permeate the air.

Here are some ideas to get the rustic juices flowing

stylemepretty.com

What is great about weddings in this day and age is the thought that goes into it, by both the bride and the groom. Back in the day, the wedding was just for the bride. The groom just showed up at the church (hopefully) donning his tux, ring in his vest pocket (again, hopefully) and said “I do.” Today, the bride and groom are more of a team. It is important to both that the day reflects who they are as a couple and that it gives their guests a glimpse of what their life will be like together. One young couple spent the past year scouring Indianapolis area antique malls trying to find items for their wedding that represent their relationship and that say, this is “us.” They say the fun has been in the hunt, an adventure that they will remember and cherish long after the vows have been exchanged and the guests have been served. Long after Aunt Betty has made a fool out of herself doing the Macarena on the dance floor.

One of the ways that Indiana couples are accomplishing this is by choosing a “rustic, vintage or antique” theme for their wedding. Any of these themes scream romance. Or should it be said, croon romance? There is just a magical feel to using an Indiana antique that has been a part of somebody else’s history. Mason jars that have been used to sustain families during hard times are now being used to vase wildflowers, making sweet table centerpieces. Old farmhouse windows from which young sons and daughters waved goodbye to their daddies as they drove off to work in their pickup trucks are now serving as guest seating charts. Wooden fruit crates and ladders from family owned and operated farms, farms that were a family’s livelihood for generations, are finding a new purpose as unique decorations and photography props. When these vintage and rustic items are picked and plucked from Main Street Shoppes and re-purposed for a wedding, the history remains with them, and that, friends, is simply charming.

Here is an example of using a Mason jar as a centerpiece. Also, a nice example of using crates as a prop.

greylikesweddings.com

Below are jars found in Main Street Shoppes. They are sitting atop a plant stand that would make a great cupcake stand.

Here is a cupcake stand foun Etsy – a great idea!

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Most items inn Vendor 54 (pictured below) come from a family-owned farm in Michigan. Rustic ladders, wooden fruit crates, bushels, galvanized buckets, wooden barn door planks, farmhouse windows and screens galore.

Main Street Shoppes, one of Indiana’s premier location for Antiques and re-purposed decorator items is located in the Indianapolis area and is full of rustic and vintage treasures that would add so much to your special day. Over 100 vendors and consignors bring the best selection of Canning jars, Farmhouse windows, and assorted Wooden crates, Lugs and Ladders can be found throughout Main Street Shoppes. If you hurry, Vendor #5 even has a vintage wedding dress. Can you imagine walking down the aisle in a piece of history? So, so romantic.

You can find cameras, typewriters, toys, advertising and just about any thing imaginable to decorate for that special day!

Wedding Dress from Vendor #5

Here are a couple of great ideas for vintage luggage!

forevervintagerentals.com

ohmy-creative.com

At Main Street Shoppes you can find these suitcases, cameras and much more!

Wedding season is upon us and Main Street Shoppes is ripe for the picking. Here’s to your Happily Ever After!

Vintage Kitchen Inspiration

admin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:15:51 +0000

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Around Indianapolis and all of Indiana antique lovers find vintage inspiration. But nothing evokes the feeling of happiness on a sunny afternoon with a soft breeze blowing and the smell of fresh baked apple pie quite like a vintage kitchen. There’s something about a vintage kitchen’s atmosphere that speaks to all of us. It says, “come in, sit down, stay a while and chat”. What do you have on your mind?

In case you need a little help to get into a mental state where you can imagine what I am speaking of, here are a few examples.

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What’s not to like! Indiana sunshine flowing through the vintage kitchen window is bright, refreshing and makes you want to stay a while. So now I’ve got you thinking…and after all it is Spring; a time for renewing and refreshing. Maybe you want give your kitchen a vintage feel?

Stop in and visit shoppes 5, 88, 18 and 46 at Main Street Shoppes in Westfield, Indiana. These shoppes are great sources for vintage kitchen items and help make your visit the best antique experience in Indianapolis and all of Indiana They have all the things you would need to add a vintage touch.

Vintage linens for just about any look

Vintage pot holders. Simply beautiful. These days…they are just plain in color and boring. These are show stoppers! Not to mention the love that went into making them!

How about some vintage cows? Salt & Pepper and cream pitcher. So cute!

Any of these items would make a fun display on a shelf, buffet, or island.

Now we are taking. Fun vintage dishes.

But nothing speaks to me quite like Fiesta Ware. Take a look at this collection.

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Main Street Shoppes can get you off to a good start at recreating this look!

Check out our kitchen collection and all we have to offer… the rooster plates (scroll back up and look to the right of the hutch). aprons, salt and pepper shakers and just about everything you can imagine!

Be still my heart!

Stop in today. Because what’s here today, could be gone tomorrow!

Here’s to happy spring and a new refreshing, yet vintage look!

See you soon!

MAIN STREET SHOPPES! “Indiana’s antiques fun center”

RESTORE ANTIQUE FURNITURE WITHOUT STRIPPING – AMAZING!

admin — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:45:43 +0000

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If you are like most, you probably have a piece of furniture that has been handed down to you.

Possibly you have a piece that you picked up at auction, a yard sale, a vintage market, etc.

Like most vintage / antique furniture the finish is probably not in pristine condition, unless you were one of the lucky ones. Sometime you contemplate refinishing it, but you just don’t know how or you don’t want to take the time. After all, it is a messy, smelly and lengthy process. (and a lot of work!) Other times you think, it would just be easier to paint it!

Stop right there! Painting is not the only answer!

There is an alternative to refreshing that piece WITHOUT covering it in paint or stripping it!

I want to share several pieces of furniture that have been given new life WITHOUT stripping or painting.

How is this possible?

Main Street Shoppes carries a product called Restor-A-Finsh.

It’s simple to use, just wipe on with a rag and wipe off the excess. It does have a bit of an odor, but so does stripping and refinishing and the odor to Restor-A-Finish dissipates quickly. It’s available in mulitiple colors so I am sure they have one that’s perfect for your project. At $5.95 a bottle, you can’t beat the cost, especially when you consider the results.

After all…a quart of paint would cost you more…and take more time!

Here’s some examples of before Restor-A-Finish and after Restor-A-Finish!

This is a large solid wood desk. Still in great condition, however the finish has seen better days.

Restor-A-Finish took years off this desk.

What a difference you can see here!

Half way done!

Complete!

Below is after the table had been wiped down with Restor-A-Finish.

It’s like a brand new table. (Click to enlarge photos)

Same table, just pictures of the legs. Speaking of legs…aren’t they sexy?

Wow! What a difference! It’s hiding the fact that the veneer at the bottom is all chipped up.

No…it’s not perfect, but it’s MUCH better!

Don’t you agree?

And in case you don’t…here’s a close up!

Now, before you think this stuff is a miracle in a bottle , it does have it’s limitations.

Restor-A Finish put to the test!

This is where it met it’s match!

Although, I will admit, It looks TONS better than what it did…

This piece would could still use to be stripped and refinished.

(Click to enlarge photo)

So to review…

Restor-A-finish is a great product for giving your piece a face lift! And for $5.95…you can’t beat it!

For those of you that want a perfect finish with no blemishes…this probably won’t be the answer for you.

However, it will take at least 10 years off most pieces; some a bit more.

Think of it like botox for furniture. It’s not a “real face lift”, but it a good quick alternative and very inexpensive to boot!

An average piece will take about 15-30 minutes to wipe down.

Where stripping a refinishing a piece would take you several days.

What do you think…worth the $5.95 and 30 minutes out of your day?

You can find Restor-A-Finish at Main Street Shoppes in Westfield, IN! It’s on the main level at the bottom of the stairs leading the second floor. Howards Line, not only has this fabulous product, but many others; Leather Conditioner, Feed-N-Wax to restore dried out wood, and many others. Be sure to stop in and check them out.

Look forward to helping you give your piece an instant face lift!

Rustic and Refined

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:40:29 +0000

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Main Street Shoppes is a great place to find anything from Vintage to Primitive, from Rustic to Refined.

It’s definitely an eclectic mix sure to meet anyone’s taste. Shoppe #2 is a great example of this!

This is a full view of what she has to offer! Now lets take a trip through her shoppe in a little more detail.

You might be looking for a fine antique piece of furniture. This antique chest is beautiful! Or maybe some old screens for your next project. See them peeking out at you on the right?

Here’s some fun vintage suitcases. We’ve all seen a million things to do with these.

But what about these very visually interesting gears? Need a little inspiration? How about creating wall art?

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Here’s something to get you thinking! I remember the first time I saw this bird cage.

My initial thought was, “what on earth would you do with that?”.

How about some Pottery Barn Inspiration. Now, you just need to have the space to do it justice. I love this look. It makes a HUGE statement, yet so simple.

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Vintage quilts appeal to a large audience.

From collectors to decorators to those just looking for a touch of nostalgia, shoppe #2 has a beautiful selection of vintage quilts.

How about his antique baby bed at the foot of a bed with a couple of those quilts folded inside?

An antique dresser, vintage clothing and hats.

This little vignette has a little something for everyone. What do you see that you might like?

Stop in today and visit shoppe #2. She always has something unique and different. She might just have what you have been looking for. But you won’t know, unless you stop in!

See you soon!

Vintage Inspired or the Real Thing

admin — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:14:23 +0000

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Vintage doesn’t always mean old and dated.

Sometimes vintage means new and posh!

Vintage inspiration is all around us. You find it in fashion, home decor, advertising, architecture and even your local card shop. However, when you can have “true vintage”- the real thing, it’s always better!

Kind of the like the popular Goodwill commercial…Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but not always the most cost effective. At Main Street Shoppes, not only are you going to find “true” vintage items, but you are going to save a boat load while doing it! Shhh…Don’t tell the Goodwill Guy, but you won’t have to dig thru rack after rack looking. In most cases…it will be nicely displayed just waiting for you to come and get it!

Shoppe #5 at Main Street Shoppes has a great assortment of beautiful vintage items just waiting for you to discover.

Here is just a small sampling of what you will find!

Beautiful vintage fashions for the adventuresome treasure hunter!

Vintage Frames and pictures. A little something for everyone’s taste.

More vintage beauties

A vintage scale for a collector or just decor.

Beautiful vintage dish….Valentine’s Day Candy perhaps?

Vintage cookbooks to recreate those dishes grandma used to make…

Whatever vintage feeling, look or impression you are trying to make,

Shoppe #5 upstairs at Main Street Shoppes is sure to have something to tickle your fancy.

From us to you, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Re-loved Furniture

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:00:51 +0000

These days, people are constantly thinking about ways to keep things out of our land fills. The term “Green” is tossed around frequently and it’s becoming very trendy to be “Green”. Pick up any home decor magazine and there is bound to be an article on re-purposing and reusing “something”. Main Street Shoppes has lots of furniture (and other items as well), waiting to be re-loved or re-purposed.

However, several of their vendors have taken the steps and already re-loved them for you. Which makes things easy for you. Stop in, shop, find the perfect piece and take it home. Then the fun part….decorating.

Today we are highlighting one of these vendors that has done the “re-loving” for you.

Shoppe #51 at Main Street Shoppes focuses simply on Re-loving old pieces of furniture and giving them a new twist.

Color blocked drawers are very popular in the world of re-purposing! This would add a punch of color to any room!

According to HGTV tomato red is one of the hot colors for spring 2013.

What are you waiting for? Here is your new tomato red color; ready to go!

Maybe your prefer something a little more subdue?

Gray is still a popular color for spring and this piece is perfect!

Looking for something a little more traditional?

This piece is stunning! I love the different types of wood grain.

And the carved details are to die for.

Need a parlor table? Some conversation pieces here!

Inventory changes frequently in Shoppe #51.

If you see something you like, you better make a point to stop in today!

It might not be there tomorrow.

Vintage Linens & Valentines, Fiesta Ware & Depression Glass

admin — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:53:25 +0000

What do Vintage Linens, Fiesta Ware & Vintage Valentine’s have in common?

Shoppe #88 at Main Street Shoppes!

If you are looking for anything vintage and it’s small, you are more than likely to find it in Shoppe #88. She has a very large variety of what I would classify as “vintage chotchkies”.

I am going to HIGHLIGHT a few things you might find here; highlight is really an understatement.

If you like Depression Glass, she has a beautiful assortment of pinks, greens and blues all in many desirable patterns.

Green is my favorite! What’s yours?

Maybe you are a collector of Fiesta Ware. She has that too!

Love the green & blue in these dishes!

Tea Sets? Yep…

If you are a lover of vintage linens like myself, you can get lost for hours admiring her selection. All are pristine, washed and pressed. Ready for use! Can’t beat that!

She also has a fabulous selection of vintage fabric!

Again, excellent condition.

And since we are EXACTLY one month from Valentine’s Day…who doesn’t LOVE vintage Valentine’s?

They just don’t make them like this anymore!

This is only scratching the SURFACE of what you can find in Shoppe #88. Stop in today!

Just make sure you have a couple of hours because that’s what you are going to need to really take in everything she has in her shoppe. You can find shoppe #88 on the upper level of Main Street Shoppes.

She is at the end closest to Hwy 32 on the West side of the building. The shoppe on the left and the one right across the isle are both hers!

Happy Hunting!

Vintage Toys ARE really US

admin — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:21:16 +0000

First I would like to start off by saying Happy New Year!

Most importantly, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making 2012 so successful. We are thankful for each and everyone of our loyal customers. We realize we would not be here without you!

So here’s to 2013 and we look forward to serving you!

The holiday seasons are filled with hustle and bustle, gift giving and remembering why we celebrate the season. Unfortunately the reason for celebration often gets lost in our focus of trying to find that perfect gift! Especially if you are shopping for children. Getting to the toy store to get that one toy that your child/grandchild/niece/nephew wants can be exhausting! Shopping for the best price, fighting the parking lots, never mind the other crazed people in the store that you have to push your way through just to get the toy off the shelf! Then, when you finally do get the toy home and have time to look at what you bought can be brain taxing. Toys are way more advanced than what they used to be. Some… down right complicated.

So take a brake, a deep breath and let’s go back to the past! Back when toys were simple! Here are just a few you can find at Main Street Shoppes.

Vintage Lunch Boxes – Shoppe #11

Batman Car and Mug – Shoppe #11

Vintage Strawberry Shortcake – Shoppe #1RC

Vintage Toy Trains – Shoppe #1RC

Old Metal “Yellow Iron” – Shoppe #76

Vintage Fisher Price School Bus! A classic. – Case #65

Vintage Pez – Case #101

Love this! Super Man Brush in original box! Who wouldn’t like to have “Super” hair – Shoppe #62

Vintage Fisher Price cash register and house – Shoppe #65

Classic Vintage Victorian Doll House – Shoppe #34

Vintage Walt Disney World Lunch Box and a Campbell’s Soup Kid Doll – Shoppe #21

This is just the beginning of what you can find at Main Street Shoppes. Stop in and enjoy your childhood toys from the past. We would love to see you soon!

Junk in your trunk? or Enough Trunks for your JUNK?

admin — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:48:30 +0000

Old trunks or suitcases make great extra storage as well as a statement in a room. We all have “junk” or things we need to stash away, but still want to be able to access. Why not make a statement while storing your “junk”.

Main Street Shoppes has a great selection of trunks! I have taken a few photos I thought I would share.

This would be fantastic used as a night stand next to a bed.

This trunk is very similar to the one pictured below and can be found in shoppe # 29

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Here’s a couple more that can be found in shoppe # 127

Trucks can also be very pretty just as a statement piece all their own. Especially if you are trying to give your room a European feel. Here is one from Main Street Shoppes. Paired with an old french chair, some linens coming out of one of the drawers and a vintage piece of clothing hanging from a hanger would be beautiful in a corner of a bedroom.

This piece can be found in shoppe # 76

Inspiration piece….

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How about turning one into a bar?

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Do I have you thinking yet? Here are a few more that you can find at Main Street Shoppes.

These can be found at the top of the stairs

This one can be found in Shoppe #29. This would make a great blanket chest at the foot of a bed.

Of course….any of these would make a great coffee table like this one.

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Trunks are perfect for ANY decor! As you can see above, the contrast of rustic and contemporary look great together.

So now that I have your mind ticking….why not stop in and do a little shopping?

Join us, this Friday, December 7th for the Holiday Open House from 6pm-9pm

Most shoppes will be offering discounts from 10%-50%. A great time to pick up one of the trunks or something else that might catch your eye. Meet the Vendors from each shoppe and grab a snack too while you mingle. We hope you can join us!

MAIN STREET SHOPPES IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR CHRISTMAS MONEY!!

admin — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 03:55:30 +0000

Are you ready?

If you’re not…now is the time. Santa will be here before you know it!

Why not change your holiday decor up just a bit this year and go with a vintage theme.

We’ve have all the right things to help you make that happen.

Let’s take a look!

How about a vintage ceramic light up Christmas tree. If you are reading this blog then I bet you remember someone in your family having one. What about some vintage ornaments for your tree this year?

These will add a touch of whimsy!

Or how about some beautiful classic glass vintage ornaments?

Heck you might as well go all the way and get the vintage aluminum tree too!

Now you need the chotchkies! And we HAVE chotchkies!

What about these cute little guys to nestle in your garland on your fireplace mantel?

Maybe you are looking for something to complete a collection you have already started? Maybe you are just missing one because Grandma forgot to buy you one that year!

What ever it is you are looking for, I am sure you can find it here at Main Street Shoppes.

A little elf told me that the vintage holiday items are flying off the shelf. Just like Christmas, it comes and goes quickly. So what you see here may not be there tomorrow. Stop in early to find the best selection. Inventory changes daily!

Hurry…Santa Claus is coming to town and you want to be ready!