If I need to catch up on the news or shop for cool art, antiques and gently-used décor for my house, I head over to 2nd and Monroe in Port Clinton.
Brew up at Coffee Express
Wonderful brews and treats at Coffee Express.
I love to stop by Coffee Express for a brew, a treat or a yummy sandwich and talk with Tina Thompson and her staff (or just listen in to conversations!). Tina started the Coffee Express 19 years ago with some friends and now she’s the sole proprietor.
“I just love the customers. We have tourists who come back every year. They’ve all become like family to us,” said Tina, who’s lived in Port Clinton since she was four.
As it says on TripAdvisor, it’s a homespun coffee shop with a welcoming attitude. Stop in and say hello.
Visit the Erie Trading Post
Cow lampshade at Erie Trading Post
Then, I go by the Erie Trading Post run by Toni Garrett and Debbie Coppeler. There’s always something that catches my eye: sea glass jewelry by local artists, a gorgeous armoire for my TV (dreaming), or a fun lamp or antique. Toni and Debbie work with local artists to sell their wares and also accept items for consignment. Plus, they change up their displays often, giving me ideas of how to use their offerings at home.
Fun “shabby chic” display at Erie Trading Post
Handmade wood table and bench at 2nd Street Gallery
Shop for art and antiques at 2nd Street Gallery
Just a few steps from the Erie Trading Post, I sneak in the back door of the 2nd Street Gallery, run by Toni Garrett and her husband, Doug Garrett. Toni grew up in Port Clinton (and was a cheerleader for the hometown Redskins). Doug moved here in 1968 to teach art at the junior high school.
They always have a wonderful collection of antiques from various eras, vintage clothes, modern consignment furniture (another armoire I’m dreaming of) and then gorgeous wood furniture made by local artists. One of those artists includes their son, Garth, who often features the wood’s natural shape in his furniture collection.
A couple of interesting tidbits, Toni’s dad, Jack Smith ran the Jack Smith’s Friendly Mobile for years; and Doug dabbled in car design when he worked in Chrysler’s design division.
See more pictures of their wares here.