Chicago - November 24, 2004

Den of Antiquity

Scout Home Store

You’re not a kid anymore. Oh, no. You’re a sophisticated grown-up. And if there’s one thing adulthood has taught you, it’s that nothing spiffs up a place like a few well-chosen antiques.

Problem is, you can’t tell an authentic treasure from a thrift-store knickknack.

Let Scout, a new home store in Andersonville, point you in the right direction. More urban bazaar than homewares boutique, it’s a gold mine for any aspiring décor fanatic.

Proprietor Larry Vodak scours the country’s best antique shows to bring you one-of a-kind and hard-to-find items. One week there might be a stunning assortment of English dining tables and steel consoles; the next week you’ll discover framed turn-of-the-last-century diagrams and Sardinian pottery. Plus, you’ll strike that much-desired balance between charming old treasures and functional new accessories with the latest collections from Global Views (tableware) and Barbara Cosgrove (lamps).

Don’t feel bad about looking to Larry for guidance.

Even grown-ups need help sometimes.

Scout, 5221 North Clark Street, at Foster Avenue (773-275-5700).