Shop Local: Rook Modern Curates Vintage Finds For The Discerning

Rook Modern has come far from its early days of traveling around to flea markets in an old school bus. Today, you’ll find its selection of vintage modern furniture and decor tucked in a storefront in Tremont. What the space lacks in size, it makes up for with highly curated goods you’re unlikely to find elsewhere.

“Items range from 1920s deco modern to contemporary modernism, with a focus on Scandinavian and midcentury modern,” says Adam Zagger, who co-owns the shop with John Owens. While the two always loved art and design, the death of a friend who left them a large collection of valuable pieces inspired the duo to try resale.

After years of acquiring stock from auctions and estates, they’ve honed the showroom’s collection to include pieces like a 1950s walnut coffee table by Drexel; a sculptural Bauhaus teapot; and a leather ’70s sofa with chrome legs. Zagger and Owens do their own restoration and refinishing, and even source items for discerning clients.

Desks, for example, have been in demand during the pandemic. Their assortment includes world-class items by designers such as Charles and Ray Eames and Marcel Breuer, but they extend the love to locals too. “We try to show regional artists and crafts like ceramics, glass and photography,” says Zagger.

An Item We Love: The “Womb” chair ($2,500), designed in the 1940s for Florence Knoll by Eero Saarinen, is a showstopping addition to your living room.

2415 Tremont Ave., Cleveland, 216-543-2394, instagram.com/rookmodern

Click here to explore more than 30 local shops and boutiques as part of this month’s “Shop Local” package.