The Pickin Chicks opens new resale shop on Riverside Boulevard in Loves Park
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — The Pickin Chicks, an upscale resale shop with a curated selection of secondhand merchandise, cut the ribbon Friday on its new storefront.
Sara Anderson and her team filled the former Tom Harmer sporting goods store at 6550 E. Riverside Blvd., in a building shared with the Medical Resource Center.
Anderson cut the ribbon with retired Tom Harmer owner Kathy Harmer by her side, along with The Pickin Chicks team members, city and state officials and members of The Parks Chamber of Commerce.
“In terms of ribbon cuttings that we do, I would say the level of excitement over this one is probably as high as I’ve seen,” said Duncan Geddes, executive director of the chamber.
The store features a variety of furniture, household goods, artwork, vintage clothing, gift items and other merchandise. There is also sports memorabilia, including helmets signed by current and former NFL stars such as Eli Manning, Charles Woodson and Russell Wilson. On weekends, it offers flower bouquets through a partnership with Didier Greenhouse.
“It’s a gorgeous store. They have a beautiful variety of things,” said Victoria Folmar, who was among the first customers after Friday’s ribbon-cutting.
Folmar walked away with some clothing and antique glasses she had been searching for to use in her upcoming wedding.
“It’s lovely. It’s very nostalgic. Thinking back to my grandparents and growing up and loving their style and the things that they had. It’s just art that you’re not able to find in stores anymore,” she said. “It’s beautiful for it to be able to capture in this location and then be able to take a little bit of it home with me.”
About 70% of the store’s merchandise is sold on consignment. The business also handles estate sales and offers house clean out services, helping people determine what items in a property might be right for resale. The Pickin Chicks has been in business since 2014, growing out of Anderson’s passion for tracking down unique items at flea markets and thrift shops. The business had been operating out of a warehouse on North Alpine Road in Machesney Park.
“This is a place for people to come and find old and new and combine things,” Anderson said. “It’s nice to be able to come and get a gift, get some flowers for your wife … but also find a piece of history or find something that reminds you of your grandparents house or your mother’s house.”
Tom Harmer, a locally owned shop in business since 1951, closed this spring as Kathy Harmer retired. Anderson and her team helped with Harmer’s final sale, and then found the storefront a fitting place for them to move.
“This is going to keep replenishing Rockford history … We don’t forget who we were. This was Tom Harmer, and I was here many, many times when I was a kid buying jerseys and so forth,” state Rep. Dave Vella said. “Now it’s going to be another group of history that we keep recycling.”
The Pickin Chicks | quick facts
Where: 6550 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (there are also extended hours for certain holidays and special events)
Contact: 815-979-5057; thepickinchicks@gmail.com
Online: thepickinchicks.com
Facebook: Go HERE
Instagram: @thepickinchicksupscaleresale
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
