Wooden Chair Antiques, LLC — Local services in Kenosha

The other day, my boyfriend and I were walking around downtown when we came across an antique store. We love exploring thrift shops, especially for their unique vintage finds, so we decided to check it out.

As we walked in, we greeted the owners and looked around like we normally would. Everything seemed fine—until Amalia Salinas approached us. For context, I’m a Black woman, and my boyfriend is Latino. At first, I thought she was going to ask if we needed help, but instead, she confronted us with blatant racism.

Without any reason, she demanded that we empty our pockets as if we had stolen something or have switched the price tags. We were shocked. We hadn’t taken anything—we were simply browsing, just like everyone else in the store. We come from families that have taught us honesty and respect, and we would never want to harm a small business. What hurt the most was that we were the only ones singled out, even though plenty of other shoppers were coming and going freely.

We showed her that our pockets were empty and even then she told us to leave the store and even followed us outside. As we walked away, I expressed how wrong the situation was, and instead of reflecting on her actions, she escalated—threatening to physically harm us if we ever returned.

It’s heartbreaking to know that no matter how much progress is made, there are still people who judge others unfairly based on their appearance. No one deserves to be treated as less than simply because of who they are. Moments like this are a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to create a world where everyone is treated with respect...

I love antiquing, and this shop is just great! Everything is clean and organized. Maya, the shop owner is so friendly and welcoming! Every booth is filled with such an amazing assortment of collectables. Reasonable prices, too! There is something for everyone in this shop! I've gone home with some pretty unique, vintage items. A first for me...I was using the restroom and purchased an item that was on one of the shelves! I love to shop, even when I'm sitting down! Check out this antique store (and bathroom), you won't be disappointed and I don't think you'll leave...

First time visit today. Store was clean and well organized. Fairly priced. Staff was awesome. We got to meet the owner as well. She greeted her customers as you arrived to her store and asked if we needed help. Looking forward to...