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West Dundee: Antique store a 'welcomed addition' to Spring Hill Mall

Dolores Matousek adopted a take-action philosophy when she opened her first antique shop 50 years ago.

She never took a hard look at how her career would turn out, nor did she have a chance to think long-term. Her husband had just passed away, and Matousek was faced with supporting three young children in an age when women rarely worked.

"Take every chance in life without thinking about it twice," said Matousek, now 78. "You don't think. You just do it."

That mindset led Matousek to launch a family business that has built up a large following of loyal customers throughout the suburbs and beyond, she said. Her new West Dundee shop, called The Estate Store, has already had success drawing in crowds since it opened May 1 in the Macy's wing of Spring Hill Mall.

"You could put us on a desert island and it just works," said Matousek, a Sun-City Huntley resident.

Matousek operates The Estate Store with her children, who are gemologists. They buy, sell and appraise jewelry, furniture, collectibles and home decor. The shop also has an entire room of donated items from which the proceeds go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Matousek said.

The business, most recently known as the Huntley Antique & Jewelry Mall, relocated from the now-vacant Huntley Outlet Center, where the shop thrived for more than a decade despite the outlet mall's demise, Matousek said. Before that, she and her children ran a store in Woodfield Mall for 18 years.

The Matousek family has operated stores in 10 different locations since her first shop opened in Long Grove in 1967, Matousek said, noting the business has had to adapt to industry changes over time.

"It's been a wonderful journey," she said.

With a proven track record in the suburban area, the antique store fits in well with the ongoing evolution of Spring Hill Mall, which is in the midst of a roughly $50 million redevelopment project, said Tim Scott, West Dundee's community development director.

"To remain competitive and healthy, (malls) are becoming more experience-driven and have to have a mix that includes entertainment, dining and personal services to supplement typical retail establishments and formats," he said. "A specialty retailer that can add unique merchandise and, as a family-owned business, highly personal service represents a welcomed addition."

  Longtime family business owner Dolores Matousek, 78, points out some unique items in The Estate Store, which opened this month in Spring Hill Mall. The store features jewelry, collectibles and home decor. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
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