stellar shops: antiquing in mcgregor and marquette, iowa

For this week's installment of stellar shops, I'm featuring a smattering of antique shops in northeastern Iowa. When I went down to the Prairie du Chien Rendezvous, I also crossed the state lines to explore some small towns in Iowa with my grandparents. The antiquing options there were certainly worthy of a blog post.

First up:

Barr House Antiques & Gift
211 Edgar St.
Marquette, IA 52158

Trust me when I say that this house was packed to the brim with antiques.

I thought of my friend Bill, who collects board games, when I saw these towering piles.

Typical awkward self-taken shot! How could I resist?

I was charmed by these old phones tied up with ribbons.

Overall, I spent much of my time in Barr House squeezing through thin little aisles, trying desperately not to knock anything over. My grandpa makes quick work of antiquing since he always knows exactly what he's looking for, so I didn't have too much time to poke around at Barr House.

Then we took a quick jaunt to Pikes Peak in nearby McGregor, which provided a gorgeous view of the Mississippi.

Then, one ice cream cone and several photo ops later, we headed back down the peak and stopped at two more antique shops in historic downtown McGregor. If you get the chance, go to McGregor. It's a cute little town and I wish I had had more time to spend there.

Next up:

Main Street Mall Antiques

322 Main Street

McGregor, IA 52157

This dress was exquisite, perfect for a little girl.

BUTTONS!!! The jars were much too expensive for my taste, though. I'm still a cheapo college kid searching for a bargain.

Fabric stacks that could keep me occupied for hours on end.

I searched everywhere for Nancy Drew books, but to my chagrin only found Hardy Boys books...

Next my grandpa and I moved just a few stores down to another antiques emporium. I really have no idea what this one is called... I searched online and everything, but the name eluded me. It's about a 15-second walk from the other antique shop, so it shouldn't be too hard for an interested party to locate it.

The (delightfully) overwhelming first look inside. I often felt like I should probably watch my head to make sure nothing fell from the ceiling onto me.

Love, love. The couch of my dreams.

I was totally charmed by the signs hanging on various mirrors...

Then we headed back to Wisconsin, making a few stops along the Great River Road on the way home to La Crosse. My grandpa showed me a particularly pretty scenic overlook that he designed twenty to thirty years ago, when he worked for the Department of Transportation full-time. Every time I travel in the area with him he shows me the various roads, bridges and other projects in the area he has worked on (and often managed) over the years. He always has plenty of anecdotes. I feel so, so, so proud that he has had such a tangible  effect on the Coulee Region.

My weekend involves a beloved brother's visit, Fourth of July festivities with the family and hopefully plenty of adventures!