by Michelle Vacha
If you are seeking an outing with your mom and the kids for Mother’s Day, look no further than the quaint city of Medina. Since my girls were little, it has been a tradition for my mom and I (sometimes leaving the kids home with dad) to plan an entire day of shopping and fun to celebrate Mother’s Day together.
My mom and I discovered Medina several years ago when we heard about all the great antique shops. After visiting once, we quickly made it a tradition to go out on a “treasure hunt” in the city.
We also try to hit these shops during the Christmas holiday or sometimes on a nice summer day. Our day in the city always starts with lunch at Miss Molly’s Tearoom and Gift Shop in Medina’s historic Public Square district. Miss Molly’s has an authentic-feeling Victorian atmosphere complete with fancy china teapots (they even serve a mini teapot for the children’s meal), along with an incredible selection of tea and coffee and a tantalizing menu. Be sure to make reservations, as space fills up quickly on Mother’s Day.
One of my favorite treats is the freshly baked scones served with Devonshire cream and preserves – which I feel is worth the trip alone. However, we don’t leave until we have perused their three exclusive gift shops.
Our next stop is Perfectly Charming, just around the corner from Miss Molly’s. This beautifully decorated shop is full of vintage and painted furniture, unique accessories and inspiring vignettes. You will find a different treasure with every visit, as the shop’s owner regularly updates the displays.
We then head across the street to Perfectly Charming’s new sister store, Rustic & Refined. Set inside one of Medina Square’s historic buildings with original brick walls, it offers a combination of rustic, industrial and architectural elements. Merchandise includes vintage metal letters, industrial-style lighting, repurposed items, old maps and much more to add interest and personality to your home. If you are on the hunt for salvage and flea market style pieces, you won’t be disappointed.
After being inspired by the many tasteful vignettes of Perfectly Charming and Rustic & Refined, it’s time to satisfy our treasure hunting needs. We head to This N That and Medina Depot Antiques, each a few blocks off the square. Both are great shops full of unique antiques and collectables at fair prices.
Our last stop of the day (only because we have run out of time) is Brother’s Antique Mall, less than three miles south of the square on State Route 3. It offers a large variety of antiques, hard-to-find collectibles, unique home decor items and repurposed furniture. With more than 100 individual dealers spread out in more than 12,000 square feet, it offers something for everyone.
Once we are finished for the day, we head home with all our new treasures, anxious to display them (however, that will have to wait until my husband leaves for work). If you haven’t been to Medina, you will definitely want to put it on your “to do” list this summer.
For a list of all the unique shops in Medina, visitmedinacounty.com
