La Salle shop selling old, new alike opens downtown

A new vendor shop opened this fall in downtown La Salle.

Whatnots opened at 511 First St. with a mix of crafters, creators, artisans and resellers.

“It’s a little bit of everything, which is how we came up with the name,” owner Tonya Smith said.

Smith previously had a shop in Streator at Northpoint Plaza and moved to First Street in La Salle for better foot traffic. Most of her vendors followed.

Smith is a collector and reseller, specializing in collectibles and vintage toys. Other vendors sell craft items and home décor.

“We have it more set up. ... We curate our store to make it look like a store rather than just a bunch of little vendor shops,” Smith said.

Almost everyone who visits has walked out with a purchase, she said.

“My vendors are very creative,” she said. “There’s always something for everyone.”

Smith credits a 3-year-old as the catalyst for the store’s opening. Last December, Smith became a foster parent and had to give up her full-time job. She started a vendor shop with Streator-area vendors, a job that would allow her to also care for the child.

“It’s nice to have that community that helps me take care of her,” she said. “I changed my whole life around for her, but this has always been my dream to have my own store.”

Whatnots is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For information, search for 511Whatnots on Facebook.

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