My trips over the years have tought me that almost all the American towns nurture a hidden gem: a restaurant, shop or a museum that stands out from all the others with its distinct character and service. It is up to the the visitor to seek this place out and appreciate its uniqueness. That place for me in Evanston has been The Alley Gallery. I must have visited it numerous times during my college years at Northwestern.
Hidden in a corner of the town’s famous Sherman Ave. The Alley Gallery is a wondrous shop of posters and frames. From vintage movies to replicas of famous paintings, there isn’t a single shelf in this place that I have been able to skip. The smell of old wood, the voice of the owner’s extremely smart parrot and the numerous gadgets spread around the posters will be enough to push you into a scene from the Harry Potter movies.
Alley Gallery is located at 1712 rear Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201
