Vintage market to open Saturday in historic West Dundee church
It hasn't been used for worship services in years, but the historic white church next to the West Dundee village hall has become an oasis of sorts for Angelike Ajroja.
With its original fieldstone foundation, gothic windows and stained glass transom, the 137-year-old building at 205 W. Main St. looks like it belongs on an old country road in small-town America. However, instead of pews and an alter, patrons will walk through the doors to find Ajroja's curated collection of vintage home goods, with styles ranging from farmhouse and french country to industrial and mid-century modern.
“I think people should fill their homes with things that make them smile,” she said.
The Half Full Nest opens Saturday, about four months after Ajroja closed on the property and began transforming it from an office space into her new vintage market.
The Sleepy Hollow resident had been drawn to the building's intrinsic charm for 20 years, she said. So when it was put on the market this spring, around the same time she was seeking a storefront for her shop, she jumped at the opportunity to buy it.
The property is in West Dundee's historic district, meaning upgrades had to go through a formal review and approval process, Community Development Director Tim Scott said. Keen attention was paid to the former church's history, he said, and architecturally significant details were woven into the renovation.
“It's truly a dramatic space, and it's been thoughtfully given new life and merchandised by passionate owners,” Scott said. “We're really pleased to see this historic building reactivated with retail and, importantly, where it will be seen by the public as a result.”
Ajroja, who has a background in design, has worked the past 23 years at a commercial building maintenance company and was eventually promoted to president and CEO.
With her sons growing up and more time on her hands, she launched a blog in 2017 called “The Half Full Nest” dedicated to her love of design, her website says. A couple of years later, she decided to open her own brick-and-mortar store, while still being involved in her executive job.
“I really want to focus on doing something I love and that I'm passionate about,” she said.
The Half Full Nest joins a “small but growing collection” of specialty retailers in downtown West Dundee, Scott said. The store offers trendy home goods, artwork, apothecary items and gourmet food products, among other vintage items.
“To go in and see a curated collection of carefully acquired antiques and ephemera, and to see it in that space, was really shocking in a beautiful way,” Scott said.
A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by a grand opening celebration with special discounts, prizes and refreshments. For more information, visit www.thehalffullnest.com.