I’m a frequent traveler between St. Louis and Northwest Indiana, so I’m quite familiar with the more obvious antiques meccas along I-55 and I-57 in Illinois. In an attempt to break free of my routine stops, I was delighted to discover new digs on my last trip! Itching for something new, I stepped off the main grid and dropped into Wilmington, Ill., to check out vintage haunts I’d never shopped before. I’m always amazed at how some outlier cities seem to attract — for no apparent reason? — an abundance of antiques shops. I like a compact area to explore, especially when I’m on the road and looking to maximize my efforts.

Wilmington is one of those cozy places. It’s located about 60 miles southwest of Chicago (in fact, it’s considered an outer suburb of the Windy City) along the Kankakee River and Historic Route 66, and has that familiar quaint, historic, small town feel. A stretch of old brick buildings on Water Street boasts a string of vintage shops (with one or two more on the near horizon, apparently). Off the main path, you’ll find two antique malls — both worth a visit for their variety and quantity of merchandise.

Honestly, I didn’t find much (if anything?) on Water St., but those stores are generally more specific — big antique furniture and a good amount of jewelry at Paraphernalia; Rick’s Relics on 66 features tons of old tools and vintage vinyl records; and Sincerely, Salli’s, a multivendor shop is filled with smaller treasures like glassware and other mainstream collectibles.

I found a couple of cool things at Rt. 66 Antiques on Baltimore Street (to get there from Water St., you cross over a cute li’l bridge that spans the Kankakee River). With two big showrooms of booths, you’re bound to find something of interest here. I came home with an old wooden sign that I love and probably won’t sell along with a few vintage books and a McCoy planter.

Saving the best for last (even though I didn’t know it yet!), I explored Milltown Market on N. Kankakee St., which was just a tad tricky to find but once I did, the directions seemed more obvious. This place was once a saw mill and now has two floors with more than 65 booths. The variety leads you to believe you’ll find tons (I did not, but not for lack of trying!) and it was fun to poke around. I found enough to make it worth the stop (a fab old world globe, vintage books), and I did a bit of reconnaissance for my own pricing efforts. Also, the staff could not have been more pleasant and accommodating. And they offer free lemonade/coffee/snack bags! For road warriors, that’s a welcome treat.

Overall, my two or so hours in Wilmington were well spent, and I’ll go back … might even carve out an extra hour to explore a couple of shops I missed on Water St. (they were closed) and the new ones which were set to open soon. Sadly, it does take more effort to get there than veering off a highway ramp and pulling quickly into a parking lot (see Chirping Frog, Lighthouse Too Antique Mall, Hilda’s, and Tammi’s Treasures, for examples.) But if you’re making a trip from St. Louis to Chicago or up through Indiana into Michigan with no set ETA, get inspired! Take a detour! Wilmington won’t disappoint.

To sweeten the idea, maybe also check out this iconic roadside statue located in Wilmington. 😉