Design on a Dime

Every time I drop in JT Designs, I'm the only person there. And I don't know why. It's a fantastic little store. Some of it's vintage, some of it's new, all of it's affordable and adorable.


My guess is that it's in a location that's easy to miss, though, and this puts it at a disadvantage. JTD is on the little triangle corner between the Capitol View hill and the Blind School on Markham. If you were heading west from downtown, you'd probably miss it, unless you knew it was there. (It would be on your right just a couple blocks up from the Italian Couple. Address is 2233 W. Markham St.). So now you know and you are tasked with dropping in.

At JTD, you'll find some pretty neat things -- some of them pieces that will remind you of grandmothers or great aunts or those other really chic women in your life whose closets you wish you'd had the opportunity to raid before they chucked all the really cool stuff. Other pieces at JTD are just little quirky things that will make your home more fun.

Case in point, my new Puppy Tail dog leash holder. Easily Excitable Shop Pup never had such a cool place to hang his guide after a long walk. He's already sitting in front of it, begging for a stroll in the evenings.One thing about JTD that is interesting: A lot of their new merchandise comes from stores we don't have here -- probably stuff they bought at warehouse sales or on e-Bay. We spied some paper lanterns labeled Cost Plus World Market and noticed the aforementioned Puppy Tail had a little IKEA insignia on it.

You'll also find some great vintage jewelry, neat antiques (some might need a little sandpaper or reupholstering) and an extensive array of retro china and silver.

I really don't want this place to go out of business. The owners are exceptionally nice without being pushy, and they seem to really enjoy running the shop. Go check it out while they're running a big 25 percent off sale. Also noted: they're willing to bargain on lots of their merchandise.