Peace of the Past

Always fun to explore. So many great items. Make sure you visit BOTH locations!

Upon entering the store, you are hit with the pleasant smell of wood. I could spend all day here looking at the little trinkets and old books. I wish we had a store like this in my area. The store is also larger inside than you might think. It just keeps going and going.

Follow me here and find clues of the past. See what you can spy among the books and signs.

Loved meeting Bill's kids. Always find a book. Great store!

Cool shop with lots of high-end antiques were fairly firm on the prices. Lots of books though which was cool for an antique store. Definitely worth checking out

Cute little antique and book store. They have a lot to look at. I enjoyed looking at all the things. Lots of neat antiques. Tons of books.

I love reading old books. I could’ve spent hours in this antique book store. I bought two books from the 1800’s. The owner told me he had books all the way back from the 1500’s.

Looking for vintage books of a certain subject--Peace of the Past came through very well. I found something on Etsy, but I thought I'd try local, and I'm glad I did. Profits stay local, and what I bought was better than what Etsy had to offer. I'll go back for specific product needs. Shop Peace of the Past. If you want vintage, that's the place to go.

Hands down the most fun my wife and I have ever had exploring antique treasures! From the warm welcome to the endless knowledge of the items we were interested in, Bill and his family are the real deal! There is something for everyone, you won’t want to pass these shops up!

The books! The antiques! The vibe! A must see of downtown Galena..

Looking for that piece of nostalgia? Head to Galena, hit the brewery or one of the wine shops, then walk through this antique shoppe! We found some great books on this trip, vinyl albums on the last.

Awesome store to get lost in. Great book selection and all sorts of hidden treasures. The man behind the counter made us an offer we couldn't refuse! 4 colorful crochet mallets (think "Heathers") are now ours!

If you looked up the ultimate definition of antique store, this would be it! The owner Bill is personable and appears to care deeply about his shops on Main Street. You can tell by the wonderfully creative and eclectic curation of books and unusual antiques. As a photographer, I found every display masterful - which explains why I took so many photos! The prices are a little high, although not for Galena. Once upon a time, quite a few excellent antique stores on Main Street offered up interesting wares - sadly, the other good ones have disappeared. I hope Bill hangs on for a long time, despite the obvious downturn in antique collecting.

Amazing treasures found in this antique store. Great staff and we love the name "Peace of the Past" - awesome!!

Have always walked away with something! Great place with varied interests. Many good books

A great store to just look through ! So many books, I can easily spend a couple hours everything I stop!

Great place for buying old books. Excellent selection.

I received excellent customer service in connection with the purchase of a wooden airplane propeller last summer. You will enjoy doing business with the folks at Peace of the Past.

Cool Owner. Lost of unique items. Recommend to everyone.

Spectacular antique store, very well curated. It's a joy to wander around and get lost in here, there's so much to see. Many unique items, plenty of affordable small items, and books are a specialty. Lots of art and framed pictures, 20th century americana, and more.