Chicago locale // Humboldt House

I’m so excited to share these photos + interview with shop owner of Humboldt House, Claire Tibbs!

I first discovered this absolutely perfect vintage shop in the same way that I find out about almost everything that’s cool, instagram.  Jason and I had finalized our lease on our Chicago apartment but it was still a month until we’d be in our new home in Humboldt Park, Chicago. Now, we knew that Humboldt Park was not going to be the hippest neighborhood we could have picked, but we were still really okay with that. In fact, we kind of liked that. We knew we’d be minutes from all the cool restaurants, bars, and shops, but also have a more quiet neighborhood feel, with a strong sense of community from all the families in Humboldt. And hey, the Humboldt price tag didn’t hurt either :)

Buuuuuut, all that to say…everyone wants their neighborhood to be a liiiittle cool…right?

So imagine my surprise when one day, during our month long wait to get to Chicago, I trolled the hashtag #humboldtpark on instagram (you know, just to see what’s up…that’s totally normal, right?) and found this drool worthy shop.

I honestly thought to myself….no, that must not be right. Well, with a name like Humboldt House, I figured it had to be! Naturally, this find made me even more excited to be in my new neighborhood. A gorgeous, perfectly curated vintage shop with loads of midcentury furniture just walking distance from my new apartment? Yes.

So after thoroughly stalking the shop and Claire on instagram, seriously check out their account…it’s so good, I knew I wanted to not only check out the space and meet her, but also share the goodness with you all.

And bonus for us, within days of our arrival in Chicago, Humboldt House had an incredible sale and we scored two amazing pieces for our apartment. To be shared, ya’ll…since they are both in rooms that I would deem “not yet ready for blogging.”

Enjoy the interview + photos below!

Q. When did you first discover your love of furniture and home furnishings?
A. I’ve always loved creating beautiful and comfortable spaces. My love of furniture and decor is a one part of a bigger picture. I have lots of funny memories of me as little kid Claire rearranging families living rooms on babysitting gigs and arranging the bunk bed layouts at summer camp. These things paired with my love of antiqueing and thrifting combined to create the whole of Humboldt House.

Q. How did you know you wanted to become a brick and mortar shop?
A. Deciding on a brick and mortar space was never even a question. Having a neighborhood gathering space has always been a core element of the business. I’m a visual, tactile person so having a business I could see before my eyes was the only thing that ever made sense.

Q. What is the greatest challenge and joy of owning your own vintage shop?
A.  The greatest challenge of having a shop is that it is always on display and needing to be camera ready. The store has an overarching aesthetic and vibe, but it is built on vintage pieces that are always in coming and going! It’s a struggle to maintain inventory levels and the essence of the Humboldt House look. But this also speaks to the greatest joy. It is so empowering to look out over a room of beautiful things and to know that I’ve hand selected everything. That everything I see is beautiful, functional and makes my heart smile.

Q. What brought you to Chicago and then, why Humboldt Park?
A. I attended Lake Forest College north of Chicago. I commuted my senior year from Bucktown because I was so ready to be submerged in city life. I’ve been inching further and further west with each move thereafter. I love the elbow room and pace of Humboldt Park. I love that walking through the park is my morning commute. Like myself, many of the businesses are owner operated and so it creates a real sense of community.

Q. And then, just for fun, what is currently your favorite piece in the shop?
A. Currently my favorite piece in the shop is a new coffee table by our metal and woodworker, Devin Jorgenson. The top is a live edge slab of spalted maple which is one of the most incredible woodgrains I’ve ever seen. The base is black steel and was designed to mimic the geometric intricacies of spalted maple. The piece is a knock out on its own, but also looks beautiful paired with our 70s leather sofas!