What a find in Alton, Illinois! Great collection of vintage objects, clothing and other treasures…read moregently used And beautifully displayed. We scored some great shirts thanks to Kim, who could not have been more friendly and helpful. If you're in Alton, definitely check out StrangeLovely and the rest of Alton, while you're there!

They found their way to my Instagram feed, so I got in the car and found my way to their shop. If…read moreyou have never been to Alton, I highly recommend a mini road trip. The drive is beautiful no matter what direction you're coming from. I live in St. Charles county and took one of the river ferry's across into Grafton. The River Road gets you to Alton in about 20 minutes. Both Grafton and Alton have great food and antique stores to choose from. I was warmly welcomed into the shop. One of the co-owners was there during my visit to assist and answer any questions. The main level is eclectic filled with furniture, knick knacks, and tchotchkes. There is also a smaller selection of clothing on the main floor. The upstairs is a vintage shoppers dream! Clothes, coats, shoes, and accessories. I'm am a fuller bodied person and sometimes have a hard time finding anything in my size. They are size inclusive and did carry true plus size clothing. I can't really speak to value. If I see something and love it, I just buy it. But I believe the pricing is fair considering the care and attention given to the quality of the items they have curated. Enjoy your day trip!

3 Charming Chicks is such a creative and affordable place to shop. I'm going to miss them. The…read morefirst week-end in May will be their farewell. Lucky for us thrifters, a new business called Terra-Cotta will be taking over. The reason I enjoy shopping at 3CC is I can find treasures at cheap prices. I love the bargains you can find at yard or estate sales, but I don't have the patience to drive around and shop them. That's why I love the ladies of 3CC, they do the shopping, buy the best offerings and bring them together at their showroom. Then I shop their boutique and get my goodies. Also within their showroom there are a variety of other vendors who offer; jewelry, greeting cards, jellies and clothing. It's almost like a famers market, but for home decor and clothing. While shopping, if you need to use the restroom, you will see a very stunningly beautiful non-gender specific bathroom. It's a deep green, has four separate stalls with floor to ceiling walls and three basins to wash your hands. I wish all public restrooms were this posh. The ladies who are the 3 Chicks, are charming and make shopping their showroom a fun experience.

This is such a fun place! My groups love going here and shopping - a whole busload of goodies!read more

I absolutely love, White Birch…read more When I lived in STL, I would drive over periodically to shop holidays or shop a family/friends bridal registry. Now that I live in Godfrey, I am a regular shopper. I am such a regular that the entire staff knows my name. I am a huge fan of their, Mud Pie and Nora Fleming. I have so many pieces, at a recent party several guest would ask where I got many of my serving pieces. Each time they asked, I would respond, "White Birch". I pretty sure they some new customers after my party. Their selection of witty cocktail napkins, are always a party favorite, too. In their home decor, I've snagged a couple of their toss pillows and some art work for the dining room. The selection of men's fashion is limited, but I've bought a couple shirts and novelty sock. White Birch is a fantastic boutique in a vintage house in Alton. If you haven't been, I suggest you go and check them out. You'll be impressed. There's a lot of ladies fashions, jewelry, items for baby, home decor and upscale gifts. Shopping at WB you will be supporting a woman owned small business.

Return/expiration policies are very strict. No exceptions...at least for me but I'm betting there…read moreare plenty depending on who you are.

If you need a unique gift, Honeybee is where you need to shop. It's a good mixture of new and…read morevintage merchandise. It is a great addition to E Broadway (Downtown Alton). I'll admit, I haven't bought a gift here. However, I have bought myself several new pairs of socks, a couple of Christmas ornaments and a candle or two. As you can see, any of those items would make a nice one. I apologize for no pictures, but was I so impressed while I shopped I just forgot. I'll go back and add photos at a later date. I also enjoyed talking with the owner, she is so bubbly and pro Alton.

Love this locally owned boutique! They have work from lots of local makers, it's beautifully laid…read moreout with a selection great for browsing. You'll spend more than 20min here. They have fancy chocolate, local food, dishes & silverware and ceramics. There's art for sale by local artists. They have plenty of jewelry to browse through. There's clothes and antiques too. Great spot!

The barrel itself looks great and I was happy when I first saw it. However, I was unable to get an…read moreunobstructed view of the finished product until I had it in my home as it was already wrapped and ready to load. While I want to give the business the benefit of the doubt on preparing it to load, in hindsight it seems mildly deceiving given some of the issues with it. There are three major issues with it: 1. The cutout for the door is crooked. 2. The metal band on one side of the door is about 1/2" short. 3. The door does not close all the way. After contacting the owner, he informed me that the stress released from cutting the wood causes it to deform. I feel like this should be disclosed upfront because it is a pretty significant amount of warping. I am not inclined to believe that this is the entire issue because similar barrels I have seen from other shops do not share this problem. This was not a cheap purchase and I expected a higher quality of workmanship for the price. I would recommend looking at other businesses in the area that offer custom barrels. At the very least, I would avoid having a door put on your barrel.

I was in search of a barrel for my daughter's wedding. I have to say this was the place!! They were…read moreso helpful and the barrel was just what we were looking for clean and very nice for the price too. I highly recommend them if you are searching for this kind of item. I also got to look at the amazing furnishings they make from barrels the tables and planters to barrel liquor cabinets. It worth your time to check them out.

What a great local garden shop! I picked up herbs, tomatoes and peppers. Service was amazing and…read morevery helpful. They have plenty of cute pots and garden decorations. Saw some cool succulents too. We just moved to Alton and I have a feeling this will be my go to spot!

THIS IS WHERE YOU GO FOR YOUR PLANTS AND GARDEN NEEDS!…read more Came here to get my MIL yellow petunias for her garden. She specifically wanted these, and my husband told me about this local garden shop. It did not disappoint. First off- this place is more than plants. There is yard and garden decor and needs, along with an array of flowers and plants. I know nothing about flowers and plants, told Will- Employee/Brother of Owner- what I needed.....and cannot say enough positive things about the experience! Will was patient, helpful, and so knowledgeable! He set me up with not 1, not 2 but 8 yellow petunia plants for my MIL! They were beautiful and my MIL loved them! The prices are so reasonable, the quality is fantastic, and the customer service phenomenal! SUPPORT A FAMILY-OWNED LOCAL BUSINESS AND GO HERE!

Everyone is friendly and the prices are good and it's a nice place. It's clean and very affordable…read morethe ladies are so welcomeing and help

A fabulous little thrift shop that benefited the cats and dogs at the 5 A's Animal shelter. It's…read moreset up as a boutique and for a thrift shop, it is merchandised well. You can tell that the volunteers that work here, put a lot of energy and love into their work and displays. They have a good variety of home decor, I found some Easter decorations for my mantle. I was also surprised to see a full silverplated tea service at a very reasonable price. The clothing department was primarily women's, but it seems to be extensive and clean. If you're a quilter, they had an extensive offering of fabric scraps at dirt cheap prices. This little shop may not have the large variety that the local Goodwill does, but I like the fact that the monies raised go to a no kill animal shelter. When: January 31, 2021 and February 5, 2021 Why: Thrift Shopping

Was looking for a floor lamp. Visited a cpl local furniture stores only to be told they don't sell…read morelamps. Walked in to this store, and immediately I liked it. Was able to find a floor lamp in no time. They offer a lot of beautiful furniture and furnishings. Service was great, their store layout was nice. Shop local.

Five stars for sure! Barb and Cathie were very helpful with choosing chairs and getting information…read moreregarding warranty and fabric care. Tony and Gary delivered and set up chairs in record time. The sale price was an added bonus! New Frontier makes shopping local easy. Thanks! Mike and Toni V.

This is a hard review to write. The things Josephine's did right, were amazing and the things they…read moredid wrong, ruined the entire experience. It had me walking out of there after my lunch saying, "It ain't all that." I lived in the area when Josephine's first opened, so I've heard about it for years and years. I moved away and then moved back about 5 years ago. Again, I kept hearing stories about Josephine's, so I finally decided to check them out. I dined as a single male and I am now wondering if I was discriminated against because I did not have a lady with me. My experience started off nice, I was impressed with the fire pit burning outside as I approached the entrance. Once inside, I was greeted by a hostess. Lucky for me they had a table available, because I did not have a reservation. Reservations are recommended. The ambiance is nice, but it's very dated and could use a serious updating. I also found the tables to be extremely crowded. They all were super close, which made it kinda uncomfortable. However, I understand they want to serve as many guests as possible. I had studied the menu on line and basically knew what I wanted. Once I was seated I decided to have a glass of Pino Grigio. Big mistake. If I had seen the price of a glass, I would have not ordered one. The glass of wine was only $6.99 and it tasted like a cheap wine. Major disappointment. My meal was good, but not up to all the hype they receive. The Lobster Bisque was steakhouse quality and very good. I also enjoyed my 1/2 Club Sandwich. They were not stingy with the three meats, (ham, turkey and bacon) and the winter tomato even gets a thumbs up. My Mystery Pecan Pie was average, but it still satisfied my sweet tooth. The biggest disappointment was the service. I have received better service at greasy spoon. My server was rather gruff. She was always rushing and barely stopped long enough to speak to me. After my food was served, I needed a napkin and as she was passing by, I requested one. She reached over to a rack and tossed a linen napkin back to my table. She then told me they had paper ones, if I preferred them. I declined saying, I preferred the linen. I'll go again, but next time I'll be sure to have a female escort. I hate to say it, but I really believe I was treated differently because I was alone. When: February 17, 2026 Why: Lunch

Josephine's Tea Room & Gifts is still one of my absolute favorite places to spend an afternoon. The…read moredrive to Godfrey is always beautiful, no matter the season, with gorgeous river views, colorful trees, and the kind of scenery that makes for great conversation on the way. One of the things I look forward to most is seeing how Josephine's is decorated for each season and holiday. Their designers are incredibly creative and inspiring. I always make a beeline for the main fireplace mantle to see what masterpieces they've put together. And the best part? Everything they decorate with is available for purchase in the boutiques. Now for the real star of the show: the desserts. Almond Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, Bread Pudding, Strawberry Shortcake, truly the best part of the meal. And the dessert trays don't even show everything; they often have cobblers, cream pies, and additional sweets that satisfy every kind of craving. We usually take two or three home to share with everyone. As for the menu, my go-to is the 1/2 Crystal Bowl Salad, which comes with a bowl of soup and a muffin. Their homemade poppyseed dressing is incredible. Other favorites of mine include the Lobster Bisque, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Chicken Salad Sandwich, Ham Special Sandwich, and of course, the rotating daily specials. Iced Tea and Sweet Tea here is so good, they even give you, your own mini refill carafe which I appreciate greatly. Josephine's is charming, delicious, and always worth the trip.