The Glass Monocle

(I wrote this blog before surgery.)

Unique and fascinating antique and junk shops are springing up all over the city of Kokomo, Indiana. After Rooster and I finished a delicious breakfast at Choo Choo McGoo’s, we traveled around the corner to The Glass Monocle. We’d noticed the distinctive sign in front of the grey house at 924 S. Locke Street on one of our previous visits. The sign made from the hood of an old red truck is eyecatching. Rooster said we had to make a trip back to find out what was inside The Glass Monocle. I suspect he thought he’d come across some interesting car parts.

Our Experience at The Glass Monocle

Rooster and I fell in love with this tiny antique store as soon as we walked through the door. I entered a side room, and a tiny blue toy sewing machine caught my eye. I also wanted to take home a toy cash register and a dollhouse, but I held myself back. Rooster, on the other hand, found himself a stash of telephones. It turns out old stuff is the man’s Achilles’ heel. Who would have known?

The inventory at The Glass Monocle is very eclectic. They seemed to have a little bit of everything. I saw toys, dishes, old magazines, a variety of quilts, a globe, an old movie projector, saws, a bowl of buttons, a rack of silverware, and room after room filled with odds and ends. There were so many items that even the bathroom in the old house was filled with treasures.

The folks we met at The Glass Monocle

Kelly and Shawn Glass are the proprietors of this small but unique antique store. They opened their door shortly before the COVID-19 epidemic swept the nation. It must have taken a lot of intestinal fortitude and grit to keep the doors open. Rooster and I spent some time talking to this amazing couple. Kelly worked behind the counter while Shawn relaxed in a chair. He works a day job besides running the antique store. Both of these individuals were knowledgeable about the world of antiques.

We also met the third owner of the shop when he woke up from his afternoon nap. A large Great Dane stuck his head up from behind the counter. I believe his role in the antique establishment is store security. He didn’t bark once during our visit, so they might want to rethink his job description.

Other interesting features we found in The Glass monocle

The owners of this shop created interesting decorative features to attract the customer’s eye. The counter came from the same old Chevy truck as the sign in front of the store. This use is an example of repurposing at its finest. We also saw a collection of lamps hung upside down from a ceiling in one of the rooms. Another unique lighting fixture was the use of old hats.

In Conclusion

If you make a trip to the city of Kokomo hunting for antiques, be sure to stop by The Glass Monocle. Rooster and I plan to go back for a few things we didn’t buy on our first stop. You might want to beat us there. Rooster is in a spending mood. He might buy out the entire inventory of the store.

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.