Part vintage, part book store dazzles

Hampden puts the “h” in hipster. The neighborhood is crammed with just about everything vintage from thrift shops to extensive record collections. Walking down 36th, you can tell that Hampden has an affection for the old days.

There is one place in particular, however, that sums up all of the nostalgia of Hampden. Charlotte Elliot is an antique store adjoined to the Book Store Next Door.

Once inside, it feels as if you’ve stepped into an international bazaar of gifts and treasures. It is overwhelming to take in just the sheer amount of stuff in there; in the front room alone are African tribal masks, Asian clay pottery, porcelain tea sets, bronze Indian statues and intricate Turkish carpets. Every time I visit, I sense a magical quality to the store, as if every object from every fairytale I have read is there behind the display glass.

After going down a flight of stairs, you’re led into another room filled with beautiful old-fashioned furniture and room décor.

At the top of another set of stairs stands a mannequin dressed in a full Mad Hatter costume, where you can “go down the rabbit hole” to the lowest floor: the vintage clothing room.

This room in and of itself is an adventure: it is as if you have access to every old-school Hollywood costume ever seen in the movies. Whether you’re that person whose inner-child never got tired of dressing up or someone who just can’t wait for Halloween another day, you’ll be hopelessly in love with this room. They have outlandish hats like those worn at Kate and William’s wedding, luxurious fur coats that would make Cruella de Vil jealous and so many different types of dresses that you could stage anything from a flapper party to a Shakespearean play.

If you’re lucky, then you might also see the store’s most famous employee: Lyla, the shop owner’s friendly little pug. Lyla has a mini-following on Facebook and has become so popular that some customers visit the store just to see her. By happy accident, I saw her during my first trip to Charlotte Elliot. She loves to curl up either on the plush red couch next to the cashier or on her favorite Turkish rug. Tip: if you scratch behind her ears and under her chin just right, she’ll rest her chin on your lap.

My favorite part of the Charlotte Elliot, though, is the connecting book store. The books have a beautiful old book smell and perfect, yellowed edges that come with age. The organization of the shelves is haphazard, with so many books in stock that many have to be piled under the tables. But the messiness adds something special to the place, as if you’ve just entered the magical library of some eccentric collector. Indeed, Fred, the book store manager, with his rumbling laugh and passion for literature, could certainly pass for one.

If you ever visit Hampden, Charlotte Elliot should be at the top of your list. There’s something about the place that makes you feel completely at home and lose track of time while looking at its treasures. I guarantee that you will find that, as its motto says, it will “replace the common with the unique.”