iNSIDE

A veritable oasis in the midst of its giant retail counterparts, P.O.S.H., located in the Tree Studios, is a fantastic place to find truly unique and affordable pieces to accessorize your space. I recently sat down with the store’s owner, Karl Sorensen, and Lisa, an extremely amiable and knowledgeable salesperson, to talk about P.O.S.H. and what it offers its customers that you (truly) can’t find anywhere else.

Karl accurately describes P.O.S.H. as a ‘cool well-edited flea market’ where all of the work of sorting through items has been done for you, (not to mention that you don’t have to lug it back from overseas)! They carry an extensive collection of pre-WWII silver, much of it from world-famous hotels and most of it from France, Belgium and England. (A lot of it is silver-plated, Lisa added, as silver-plate is much more durable than sterling silver). P.O.S.H. is especially known for their mix and match flatware (a unique look that I love). Although the clientele is diverse, most come to the store in search of pieces with some history and romance to them. P.O.S.H. also carries newer items to balance the vintage pieces. Karl described the rationale saying: ‘the new things give the old a fresher feel and the old things give the new more character.” (I quickly learned in talking to Karl that we share a lot of the same design philosophy and that his musings on the store are directly applicable to putting together a home!)

When asked what he feels is the best bargain in the store, Karl admits that he is really partial to what the store refers to as ‘flea market finds.’ These, he says, are ‘charming pieces that are full of personality that reflect your individuality and make you smile.’ I couldn’t agree more. *Some of these ‘finds’ are showcased on the website, but be sure to check them out in person. As you can imagine, items for which there is no back inventory are very difficult to post on the website because they are well priced and move out of the store very quickly.

When I asked Karl to give some parting advice to homeowners trying to create a beautiful and unique space, he said it basically boils down to investing in an environment that is pleasing to you – buy things that make you happy. (Insert Amen chorus!)

So, in summary, if you are like many who wish they had inherited some pieces of character (but didn’t) or are looking for a truly memorable gift, in P.O.S.H. you will find a fun European market-like shop full of one-of-a-kind pieces to lend a little 'je ne sais quoi' to your space - all without doing too much damage to the wallet.

(Many thanks to Karl, Lisa and the other staff members who graciously took me in and answered all of my questions.)

P.O.S.H.
613 N. State Street (*Many of you may remember the store when it was on Southport. It has been in the Tree Studios since September of 2004.)
312.280.1602
www.poshchicago.com (Fun fact - be sure to check out the FAQs to see what P.O.S.H. stands for and to learn the true derivation of the word).

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