A Bushel and a Peck

I bumped into this great little country antique shop on one of my weekend wanderings around Galena. Although the mailing address is Elizabeth, the store is actually located in central Schapville, a small village between Elizabeth and Scales Mound. And not to easy to find, I may add. There are lots of unmarked divergent paths out here in the boonies! So just keep an open mind and an adventuresome spirit. Schapville is so small that there are only two «stores,» this one and the pop machine next door. When I arrived, I was greeted by a very friendly old dog named Stanley. This is a seasonal business, so you need to come between May and October.
The store is a beautifully renovated old grange space used by area farmers. It offers a selection of fine antiques, and a nice array of same on two floors, a cooler with local cheeses (they were featuring one of my favorites that day-​Iowa Maytag Bleu.) There is soda, homemade jams and jellies and other condiments, and fresh eggs from the owner’s chickens. There is kind of an overall chicken theme going on here, just short of chicken worship, I would stay. The owner, Donna, is a fun and interesting person to chat with. Free fresh popcorn, too. There’s a wood stove with a fire near the front and a seating area which is very inviting. Definitely a must-​stop in Jo Daviess County if you are looking for a nice little jaunt out of Galena, or doing a day trip in the area east of The Galena Territory. The scenery is superb.