Vintage Shop Hop invites devotees on ‘self-guided road trip’ to stores across northern Illinois, Wisconsin

Whether shoppers are seeking pink depression glass, vintage T-shirts or vinyl records, hundreds of vintage and antique shops across northern Illinois and Wisconsin will be among hundreds of Illinois and Wisconsin small businesses participating in this weekend’s 12th annual Vintage Shop Hop.

Q’Tiques Vintage and Antique Mall in McHenry is participating for a fifth year, and owner Kathy Quatraro said her team has spent the last month “purging” their warehouse, “pulling out all new stock.”

This Friday and Saturday, at all participating shops, “customers will get two days of huge sales” and some extra offerings such as food vendors and live music, Quatraro said.

Ann Campos, who created the annual event and whose home in Roscoe is filled with vintage and antique decor, described Shop Hop as a “self-guided road trip for vintage and antique lovers ... to satisfy their ‘vintage addiction’ while supporting small businesses.”

The “one-of-a-kind event” includes vintage shops, antique malls, women’s boutiques, occasional and pop-up shops, home decor stores, upscale consignment shops and vintage barn sales across two states, she said.

The small, locally owned shops participating this year are dotted across Illinois and Wisconsin, from the Mississippi River east to Lake Michigan and from Wausau and Green Bay south to Interstate 80, Campos said. It does not include any big box or franchise businesses. Stores across the suburbs and far beyond are involved.

Quatraro said that for many vintage and antique shoppers, the promotion, which occurs twice a year in the spring and fall, has grown into an excuse for a girls' getaway weekend.

Often, she sees groups of shoppers who use the event as an opportunity to take a roadtrip, check out new areas and shops, dine at local restaurants, book hotels and take advantage of discounts. Some groups of shoppers travel together and wear matching T-shirts while enjoying the hunt. McHenry County has become the place to go for antiques and vintage shopping, she said.

This weekend, Quatraro said 60 vendors at her 12,000-square-foot antique mall are offering additional discounts and a raffle for gift baskets made up of items from her vendors. On Saturday, there will be barbecue in the parking lot. She also said visitors at the Shop Hop can make “trucker hats,” something growing in popularity.

“These are becoming a big thing,” she said. “Shoppers can come in that weekend and accessorize hats with items bought in the store.”

Quatraro and Campos say the March event is the biggest weekend of the year for participating businesses, likely because spring is beginning in the Midwest and people just want to get out of their houses.

Participating shops pay $65, up from $25 the first year, and are added to an interactive Google map and master list of shops Campos creates and promotes on social media. As shoppers go about their hunt, they consult with the “live” map to find participating shops.

Such weekend promotions directly affect local shop owners, as well as the towns in which they’re location, because many shoppers make a day or weekend of it. Not only do they spend their money in the shops, they spend money at the local hotels, gas stations and restaurants, Campos said.

Campos said she would like to see such events change shoppers' habits yearround.

“The event is a twice-a-year road trip comprised of nothing but small businesses,” said Campos, whose professional background is in tourism promotions and event planning, including in McHenry County.

Campos said the idea grew from Nellie’s Barn Sale, which she hosted in her backyard before moving it to Main Street in Roscoe. She founded Shop Hop after one particularly brutal winter and 180 shops signed up. Each year, the list has grown, as has the number of shoppers. Those who take advantage of the special weekends appreciate the beauty and durability of antique furniture, as well as unique jewelry, vintage T-shirts, old records and household items, and this weekend is a good time for the hunt, she said

“In the spring, shop owners sometimes need an economic shot in the arm to boost their sales in what is traditionally a slow retail season, not to mention the competition of the online shopping craze,” Campos said. “This event gives the shopper a reason to leave the house to shop small and support their local businesses.”

The Starline Factory Market in Harvard also is participating this weekend and hosting additional pop-up local vendors and artists in the market, Keirsa Novotney, manager at the Starline Factory Market, said.

Of more than 40 permanent vendors, many will be offering discounts for the weekend “and we will have a wonderful gift basket for shoppers to register for with each purchase,” Novotney said. “The Stanchion Pub, our on-site restaurant, will also be offering some great weekly lunch and dinner specials.”

On Saturday, Shop Hop visitors also have the option to attend Starline’s first art event of 2025 with various activities throughout the day including an historic tour of the building will take place at 1 p.m. The event also will include kids activities, art demos, live bands, and a performance by Irish dancers.

More information on the Vintage Shop Hop, a list of participating shops and interactive map can be found at vintageshophop.blogspot.com.