50+ Lifestyles

The Estate Shop – Great Things at Great Prices

Atop Brady Street Hill in Davenport’s Hilltop Campus Village is a unique shop that opened its doors at the old McKay Music building in May of 2010. The Estate Sale shop at 1326 Brady St. is a hybrid Antique Mall and Resale shop. It is run by owners Kelly and Nigel Wallace, a mother and son team whose business is buying entire estates and then bringing them to their store for sale. “When you stop in, you are shopping at least 10 different estate sales at once,” says Kelly Wallace. “We purchase estates from a wide area, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana.” Their partner in business, Jerry Plockelman lives in Chicago and runs his shops in Wisconsin, while Wallace and her son run the one in Davenport. “We never know what we are going to be able to offer you because we never know what to expect when we walk in to purchase an estate,” says Wallace.

Wallace is a hometown girl, growing up in Davenport and graduating from Central High School. She left soon after to pursue her career in radio and record labels. That adventure took her many places, living in Minneapolis, New York and most recently Chicago before returning to the Quad-Cities. Wallace states, “This is where my family lives. My dad is still in the house I grew up in on 31st Street. And many of the people that were my peers in school have made their way into my shop to reunite old memories and smiles.” Wallace feels the Hilltop Campus Village is the perfect place to set up shop, explaining, “Our neighborhood is wonderful. Great people, friendly and located in a part of the city that’s easy to get to.” She is looking to expand her business prospects in the HCV.

The Estate Sale shop is open three days a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Offering all kinds of inventory from furniture to collectables to many one-of-a-kind items, they have a little something for everyone. Things change up each week in the store. “We are only open three days a week because we are pulling estates out of the houses the other four days!” says Nigel Wallace. Business in Davenport has been good during the first two years. Nigel continued, “The shop was only open one day a month when we first started, and the demand to be available more often set our hours to be here every week!”

Chances are, when you arrive, you will be greeted by Randi, the store’s (and Kelly’s constant companion) official greeter. She’s an American Staffie Terrier and makes sure everyone there gets a good strong sniff when you enter. The shop has a casual feel with warm overtones, and Wallace or her son will inquire about what it is you are looking for in particular. If they don’t have it in stock, they will take your information and give you a call when they come across the item. Says Wallace, “We eventually come across most everything, so our customers can get customized service for no extra charge.” The shop does deliver around the Quad-City area for a very small charge. Wallace adds, “And, we have layaway. As most places don’t offer this type of freedom, we do, trying to accommodate our customers’ situations.”

If you haven’t had a chance to stop in and see what they are all about, please do so. You will discover a friendly greeting when you arrive and tons of items to choose from when you are there. Wallace comments, “Most folks have to give us what we call ‘A twice around!’ where you have to actually circle the store twice to be able to see everything we have for sale.” Great things at great prices is the shop’s motto, and staying true to their school, their prices are below most thrift stores in town, and the quality of the merchandise is amazing. “It has to be gift worthy to go out on our floor,” says Nigel Wallace. “If it’s not good enough to give as a gift, we don’t sell it.” And they have a ‘free with purchase’ shelf! “What other store is going to offer you that!” smiles Kelly. “Lots of things go on that shelf just because we like to treat our customers to a great shopping experience.” That is a mission accomplished at the Estate Sale shop.