Circa Modern

Don was very kind, accommodating and considerate– we just ordered the perfect lounge chair and we can’t wait for it to arrive! We’ve been looking for the right chair for 3.5 years and finally this place had the unique piece we were looking for! Thanks Don!!!

This shop is a gem; a must see for any trip to Chicago. Being from L.A. we have a lot of choices in design, but Circa Modern has the added bonus of great people. Jared went above and beyond helping me wrap up a piece to ship it back to L.A. (where it arrived perfectly!) Thank you Jared!

Great store, great guys, great experience. I covet most things in there, though my wallet keeps the collecting in check. Recently, I bought a couple of little tile topped tables form them that have literally changed my life; I had a ‘lets burn the coaster’ ceremony to celebrate their arrival.

I have been meaning to pay a visit to Circa Modern for quite some time now. I’m glad that I finally did! The owners were both in and I found them to be extremely friendly, welcoming and helpful. The shop boasts a well curated collection of furniture and wares, at prices that are very fair. There were several pieces that caught my eye and I can’t wait to check them out again!

The previous issues I had, were resolved and the misunderstanding was worked out to the best of their ability. My first review was ruled by subjective perspective and I feel the need to apologize publicly as everyone had good intentions at the end of the day. The shop has an amazing selection and I wish them the best.

Circa Modern always has a well curated selection of modern furniture from great American designers like Nelson and Eames as well as Danish and other European designers, Jacobsen, Wenger, Aalto, and others. At one point I was looking for a dining table that could expand to hold 12 people. I told Jared and within a few weeks he had found the perfect piece — an Edward Wormley for Dunbar walnut table that had four leaves and two drop leaves. A beautiful piece. He also had the matching buffet. I also purchased several Eames shell chairs which were fantastic. Circa Modern has a well tuned eye for design and high quality pieces. If they don’t have it they know how to get it. Their prices are reasonable for these sometimes rare pieces. Don and Jared are great business owners to work with and clearly have a passion for their work and clients.

I purchased my first item from here yesterday and I couldn’t be happier. Friendly store owners, knows their stuff and the store is just full of beautiful things — I can live in there!
Definitely worth a visit… I hope I won’t regret writing this review. Places like this is sometimes worth keeping to yourself :-)

I bought an amazing decanter and vase from Jared at Circa Modern. I’ve been to the store many time and both owners are extremely attentive. It’s clear they want the best for their customers, and trying to find the right pieces a good home. They take care of their inventory from the quality offered to the staging of the store. Jared is passionate about his business and has an amazing eye for style. I’ve observed him with other customers and they receive his care and attention. It would be hard to walk into the store and not find a piece to take home.

These guys know their shit about mid century modern! I always learn so much about the designers of the past and present from them. Jared and Don are excellent curators. When you step inside Circa Modern, it is pristine and uncluttered. I suggest stopping by often; it’s a constant rotation of new items, which makes every visit all the more exciting.
My husband and I have purchased numerous items from Circa Modern: a Danish dresser, Nelson CSS components, a Martz lamp and those classic bookend jax. They also sell an eclectic assortment of smalls; just this past summer we purchased two Erik Hoglund glass sun catchers in both yellow and red.
An amazing place run by two gentlemen who have a passion for what they do!

I have been to Circa Modern quite a few times since they have opened– all the while NOT knowing they had just opened their doors. I merely assumed they had been around a while & were well-​established due to the genuine customer service and knowledge amongst the team.
I’m not going to lie– when I first walked into the store I was intimidated. Usually when I visit or attempt to shop at local design stores/​specialty furniture stores I am often greeted (to say the least) by staff who appear to be disinterested in helping me or they attempt to flaunt their «expertise» in a way that comes across as pretentious and arrogant. That was hardly the case with the guys at Circa Modern.
When I first walked in I was warmly greeted and told to ask if I had any questions. Of course I had questions. I was ready to pay what I consider a substantial amount of money on ONE piece of furniture– that in itself is overwhelming. I apprehensively asked questions and was surprised as to HOW helpful and HOW knowledgeable the sales person was. He kindly gave me advice as to how to find a solid piece. He walked me through a dresser I was interested in. He showed me what he considered to be quality work (wood work/​type, craftsmanship, design elements, etc). He gave me advise for it’s upkeep and even provided me historical information on the designer. I didn’t know so much information could be learned about one piece of furniture! I was incredibly impressed that he was able to rattle of the information in a way that made me feel like he was genuinely attempting to TEACH me and guide me in making the right purchase– not just at his store, but in general. He even suggested OTHER stores where he thought I may find something to match my personal taste. I asked for a store business card and was surprised to find that I had been dealing with one of the owners. My past experiences with store owners vs store employees have taught me to steer clear of the owner. Not in this case!
I wound up spending sometime at the store. I wanted so much advise and was embarrassed that I was asking for too much of their time. Both owners could tell that I had a passion for furniture but was fearful of being screwed-​over by either paying too much or falling for «salesman tricks.» They were kind and honest. They even asked to see photos on my phone of my apartment so they could make recommendations.
Because the guys at Circa Modern were so knowledgeable I went to the other businesses they suggested. I found it reassuring when I visited other furniture stores, design stores, antique/​flea markets, etc that all the staff and owners knew of the Circa Modern owners and had such great things to say.
I make it a point to visit them as often as possible because they are always getting in new inventory. They now know me by name, never make me feel as if I am a burden and have offered to help locate what I am looking for– even if the item at a store they do NOT own. Who does that?!
It may sound as if I’m doating on them, but I can’t help it. I am apprehensive of most salespeople– especially those who are selling large-​spending items. I have been screwed over in the past by Ebay stores, car salesmen AND furniture dealers– not any more. It is very clear to me that these guys are not in the business just to make sales. They genuinely love what they do and want the right piece to go to the right owner.
Big ups to CM for their knowledge & willingness to share such knowledge.
Needless to say– highly recommended on all levels.

I have been a long time customer of Jared and Circa Modern.
I purchased a lamp and had it shipped to California where I live. The lamp arrived safely and was amazing! I will continue to shop with faith at this fab store!!!
In response to the negative review for Jared and his store. All I can say to Patricia is money talks! Promises dont pay a business’ bills. Next time you want a promise followed thru I suggest you pay for it first!

I am amazed at the review that is posted here, since I have had the completely opposite experience at Circa Modern. I contacted the owner for a piece I was interested in prior to him opening the store. Loved the amazing stuff he had. I’ve since visited the store and bought a mid-​century credenza from him, and just looking at the piece makes me so happy! Jared is knowledgeable, gave me a great price on the piece and overall a really nice person to work with. Will definitely be going back for some more interesting stuff!

Amazing selection, great customer service, beautifully curated. I love going to Circa!

I bought an amazing & rare table from Circa Modern. I met Jared, the owner who casually started a conversation with my wife & I as if he had known us forever. He filled me in on all the details about every piece that I asked about. He told me the furniture was his passion & proved it by the way we were treated. My wife & I couldn’t fit the table into our car, so Jared carried the table to his truck & delivered it to my apartment 3 miles away. When I offered him money, he looked at me like I was crazy. Did I mention he’s passionate?
I’ve searched a lot of furniture stores in the Chicago area & Circa Modern has the most unique & well-​conditioned mid-​century pieces, hands down. Jared has a great eye for detail & is very selective about his pieces. The prices are more than fair for their value. Tired of scouring ebay or craigslist for the perfect piece? Stop wasting your time, the hard work has already been done for you at Circa Modern. Don’t believe me? Check out their website to see what I mean… www​.cir​camod​ern​.com

My husband and I have been purchasing pieces from Jared for about 3 years, since we moved in to our first place. He and Don have the most unique selection of furniture and they take such care in finding the right pieces for their customers. After a couple smaller lamp and desk chair purchases, we finally stepped up our game and bought an original Knoll Womb Chair. It is spectacular and truly one of a kind! We are lifetime shoppers at Circa Modern, these guys really know what they are doing and it’s such a cool shopping experience.

If I could give zero stars I would. I could detail the entire story but that would be silly. Basically, I was promised a piece via email and they sold it to someone else. Two weeks, five phone calls and two store visits occurred throughout the process and I was never told the piece was sold — just that one of the owners was out and would contact me regarding the payment and delivery. Finally, after they realized what happened one of their owners Jared called and said he would try to make it right and call back the next day.
I never heard from him again.
Honestly, I was dismayed by their overall lack of concern for my business. I never really expected to be treated like this by a startup in Chicago trying to grow their customer base. I understand the complications of building a business from the ground up but if they had just kept some basic commitments throughout the process this would not have happened.
I even sent them an email after not hearing from Jared. No response. Guess they have better things to focus on.
Buyer beware when it comes to purchasing at this shop.