Kim Schilling has been in the antiquing business for almost 30 years, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be surprised.
With each show she puts on, vendors still bring out unexpected items for customers to peruse and take home. The annual Antique Spectacular Vintage Market, this weekend in Rock Island, may have something unique enough to surprise Schilling.
“Every time I think I’ve seen it all, I find something I’ve never seen before,” Schilling said.
The Antique Spectacular Vintage Market will showcase collectible antique items 4-8 p.m. Nov. 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 5 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 6 at the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Ave., Rock Island.
Admission to the market costs $8 and can be purchased at the door. Tickets are good for the whole weekend, and participants can receive a wristband if they’d like to peruse the market for multiple days.
Vintage enthusiasts will be able to find antiques of all kinds at the market, including furniture, children’s toys, books, jewelry, art pieces and more. There’s a fabulous lineup of collectibles, Schilling said, and customers should expect the unexpected.
“[Vendors] have this way of finding really amazing items,” she said.
Schilling put on her first antique show in 1994 in Davenport. She had a career in marketing and advertising, and decided to turn her skills to facilitating her and others’ love of antiquing through vintage vendor events.
“I wanted to do something with my passion for antiques,” Schilling said.
The show began in Palmer Auditorium but quickly outgrew the space. She moved the market to Rock Island in 1995, where it has remained. Antique Spectacular has amassed a solid following of antiquers, Schilling said, from hobbyists to serious collectors.
Over the years Schilling expanded the reach of Antique Spectacular Vintage Market shows, putting on events across Iowa and in Rock Island and Omaha. The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to shows outside of the Quad-Cities, and Schilling has decided to focus on the Rock Island market for now.
Seventy vendors from 10 states will participate in the market, each vetted so customers know they carry quality items, Schilling said. Some vendors own antique shops while others are collectors who go to markets to sell from their personal stocks. A couple of local vendors attending the market include Cottage Antiques & Co. and Vintage Rose Antiques.
Shows are always at capacity for vendors, but they don’t cap tickets for customers.
“It’s just a weekend full of finding that perfect vintage treasure to take home,” Schilling said.