History Thrives in Orland's Beacon Hill Antiques

The green house on the corner of Beacon Street has been a touchstone in Orland Park for decades.

Many older residents will remember walking through the door at 14314 Beacon Ave. when the space was a combination of three businesses—funeral home, post office and general store.

As time passed, it was converted into a women’s dress shop. In the summer of 1982, Kay Shelander and her husband purchased the store, and comfortably settled in.

Every corner of the store is filled with items of the past. Some walls are decorated with glass cabinets that house everything from wedding ring sets to ceramic figurines. Framed pictures hang on one side, colored lights provide the glow on another. 

The large space consists of several rooms that are filled by the 16 vendors Shelander rents space to, some of whom also work in the store. The various vendors ensure Beacon Hill Antiques offers a wide scope of items to meet the customers’ needs.

Theater fans can reminisce about the days of whimsical love stories and 75-cent admission prices as they peruse Hollywood memorabilia, from a Gone with the Wind book to Audrey Hepburn photographs.

Fashionistas will get lost in the details and fabric of the Victorian and Edwardian clothing and accessories section, where a full lace wedding dress with impeccable detail and in excellent condition stands in the entryway. A Chanel designer handbag welcomes patrons looking for labels. Blue French vases and sterling silver pieces are a homeowner’s decorative dream. Gold-lined china sets, wood furniture, comic books and straw shoes don't even complete the list of assorted items found in the store.

This level of variety and the reasonably set prices are just two things that Shelander attributes to the store’s success.

“We are all very friendly and we work hard to help our customers,” she said.

Prices at the Beacon Hill Antique Shop range from $1 to $1,000. There are 30-day layaway options available, as well as high-quality consignments. Checks, Chase and VISA credit/debit cards are accepted. The store is open seven days a week.