Antique Emporium Legacy Continues On Water Street, Tells Stories Of Eau Claire
rest assured, this local treasure trove of collectible paper goods and unique antiques hasn’t slipped under the Valley's radar
Evelyn Nelson, photos by Andrea Paulseth
If you’re looking for the moments that truly shaped my connection to Eau Claire, you won’t find them tucked away in a university lecture hall. Rather, my most meaningful learning moments happened beyond the Eau Claire campus – specifically, within the storefronts on Barstow Street.
For years, my weekends were defined by getting lost among the endless floors of curiosities and historic treasures at the Antique Emporium, a downtown landmark that remains a cornerstone; a keeper of items that deeply resonate with many locals’ identities.
The former multilevel store has since relocated to 508 Water St., Eau Claire – but rest assured, this local treasure hasn’t slipped under our radar. For the last four years, Antique Emporium proprietor Hugh Passow has curated what he described as the Chippewa Valley’s “best kept secret”: vintage paper goods.
“I’m (one of) the only other used bookstore(s) in town – that’s something I don't think very many people realize that I have,” Passow said. “I have a lot of stuff on art, obviously ethnographic materials, a lot of just interesting books about things all over the world.”
While Passow has kept his ventures in antique collectibles rooted here in the Valley, he recalled ventures out east to New England – up to six times a year – to attend annual auctions. Beyond these domestic treks, his global travels have served as inspiration for the rare inventory which shapes his retail presence in Eau Claire.
“I’ve been to Hong Kong, did Turkey not too long ago; I’ve been all over Europe, South America – haven’t been to the Antarctic yet,” Passow said, chuckling. “It’s fun to go to these countries and look at stuff.”
“The majority of 'great old stuff' from most countries around the world has migrated here, because of people going on tours and trips over the years and bringing stuff back,” he observed.
Today, the vast majority of auctions are now online-only, Passow noted. He too has taken to using eBay to sell rare, higher-value books and paper goods. Items often valued between $2 and $50 are brought directly to his physical shop, because they are more reasonably priced for in-person customers.
As I stepped into the current Water Street location, it was clear the Antique Emporium maintains its timeless and curious-minded spirit – bridging the gap from Barstow Street back to Passow’s original stomping grounds.
Decades ago, he took part in the local retail landscape as a partner in various storefronts along this very same street. Passow’s entrepreneurial efforts jumped across town from Galloway to Barstow over the years, and finally back to Water Street.
Five decades in this business, the current Antique Emporium has downsized to approximately 2,000 square feet, though Passow’s “downsizing” efforts are hardly felt in his current brick-and-mortar.
One could easily spend all day sifting through its curated displays of antique stamp collections, global currency, intricate ceramic dinner sets (another favorite of mine) alongside an expansive library of rare literary finds, historic magazines and even locally-tied paper ephemera.
Some of my favorite finds, unearthed as I meandered through Passow’s Water Street corridors, were brass keychains and delicate charms salvaged from antique jewelry and well-preserved copies of Time and National Geographic magazines.
Perhaps most enchanting, however, were the local postcards that offered many "aha" moments, like discovering a historic glimpse of Randall Park as it appeared in decades past.
Passow explained he, over the many years in this industry, has compiled a massive personal collection of historical artifacts unique to the Eau Claire area.
Antique Emporium proprietor Hugh Passow has curated what he described as the Chippewa Valley’s “best kept secret”: vintage paper goods. Its current Water Street location has downsized to approximately 2,000 square feet, though Passow’s “downsizing” efforts are hardly felt in his current brick-and-mortar.
Rather than selling these rare local items commercially, he intends to donate parts of this collection to local historical organizations or museums one day, so they can be preserved and viewed by the public.
Today, he works alongside other collectors to piece together Eau Claire’s often unseen history – from school district record books to documents from the first McDonald’s location in Eau Claire.
“I just had a lady bring me some stuff the other day and I got a number of Eau Claire items,” Passow said. “I think I got ten hand fans from the Oak Park Dairy and I got a neat photograph of a (local) band from the turn of the century that I will be posting soon.”
“She thought that Eau Claire (memorabilia) should stay in Eau Claire,” he noted.
In this vein, one could argue the most precious artifacts of the Chippewa Valley’s story are found tucked away in the floor-to-ceiling collectibles of the Antique Emporium – waiting to be rediscovered by college students, families and curious locals of all ages.
Through each chapter of his journey, Passow’s never-ending search for the “unique and unusual” remains an unwavering fixture of our community's fabric.
The Antique Emporium is open from 10am-5pm, Friday-Saturday at 508 Water St., Eau Claire.
