Business Spotlight: Vinegar Hill Treasure Chest
[April 18, 2026] Step
into Vinegar Hill Treasure Chest, and you're instantly surrounded by
nostalgia. The store offers a unique collection of antiques and
furniture. You will find rustic and shabby-chic items, including large
furniture such as pie safes, tables, chairs, highchairs, dressers, and
even a gentleman’s dresser with a special compartment for top hats. The
smaller items range from dishes, oil lamps, cookie jars, and vintage
home décor.
Owner Bobbie Taylor has been collecting antiques and refurbishing
furniture for over 20 years. She has had her shop in Mt. Pulaski for
eight years. She has been remodeling her new location, which is just
across town from her previous spot. Her new location offers a little
more traffic as it is located between Market on the Hill and The Old
Brickyard. Once she finishes the remodel, she plans to open her store to
other vendors who can rent booths and sell similar goods. Her shop is
currently at about half capacity and will continue to grow.
She started her business because she enjoys antiques and restoring
furniture. She has been involved in restoring several heirloom pieces
for local families. She has had customers from Indiana and Minnesota who
have seen her items on Facebook. Taylor has traveled with a U-Haul to
Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, and Florida to estate sales and auctions to
purchase items for her shop. She is also willing to help customers
source items they are looking for.
Taylor said her favorite thing about her business is learning about the
past and finding unique things, and she uses them and passes that
knowledge along to her customers. She also enjoys seeing items brought
back to life and revitalized. She encourages patience in anyone who is
looking to get into the same business.
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Taylor is active in the Mt. Pulaski community; she has operated a
daycare there for 32 years. During Mt. Pulaski’s Fall Festival, the shop
hosts a car show. She hosts “Charlie Bingo” featuring animals from her
farm. She is also the President of the organizing committee for
Christmas on Vinegar Hill, the festival that takes place on the Saturday
before Thanksgiving, where Mt. Pulaski transforms into a Christmas town
with vendors galore and thousands of visitors.
Vinegar Hill Treasure Chest is located at 121 S. Lafayette St. in Mt.
Pulaski. Their hours are currently by appointment only. To make an
appointment, you can call (217) 412-6331. You can also check out their
Facebook page for new arrivals –
Vinegar Hill Treasure Chest.
[Joli Boerma] |
