This rating is based on customer reviews, inventory size, pricing, and service quality
Based on the latest reviews, Salvage One in Chicago, IL scores 93/100: overwhelmingly positive with a few sharp complaints. Guests rave about the eclectic, museum-like inventory and three floors of organized salvage, plus a standout event venue that’s flexible, photogenic, and supported by exceptionally professional staff (planning felt easy). Shoppers note unique hardware and furnishings, often easy to find; access can be limited during events. Pricing feels fair to some (decor savings), but one report alleges a dramatic price change—an outlier that dents trust. Little about wait times. Service is mostly warm; one counter interaction was poor.
Salvage One is a Chicago treasure that feels less like a retail store and more like a curated journey through history. The huge selection of unique items is staggering, ranging from vintage neon signs to ornate architectural fragments. Walking through the massive warehouse is truly like visiting a museum of design and craftsmanship. Whether you are looking for a statement piece or just want to get lost in rows of beautiful, reclaimed artifacts, this place is an absolute must-see. It is easily one of the most inspiring spaces in the city!
Salvage One is truly one of the most unique wedding venues we have ever seen, and that’s exactly why we fell in love with it. From the moment we stepped inside, we knew it was special. We loved everything about the space, especially the flexibility and variety of options for both the ceremony and reception. Our guests are still talking about how cool and unforgettable the venue was. It also made for a dream backdrop for photos, and our pictures turned out so unique and perfectly reflected the vibe of the space. On top of all that, the staff was wonderful to work with and answered all of our questions and concerns quickly and thoughtfully. We couldn’t have imagined a better place to get married.
We had our wedding at Salvage One and it was AMAZING! I grew up going to Salvage One with my parents buying vintage door knobs, doors, and door knob plates, and never would've imagined I would be getting married there over 20 years later. The space is ample and amazing and offered a world of possibilities to make our wedding day so special. One thing that stood out the most to us was the ease of working with Colleen and the S1 team. Colleen was super communicative and worked with us from day 1 to hear our thoughts and make our vision come to life. They flexible with any floor plan change, new vendor addition, or any question, little or small, that we asked. We absolutely recommend Salvage One to any other couples looking for a wedding venue!
I had a terrible experience at Salvage One. I found a door priced at $100 and even took a picture of the tag. A few minutes later, one of the workers went upstairs, scratched off the price, and marked it up to $1,000 as if I wouldn’t notice. They clearly thought I was stupid.
This kind of behavior is incredibly shady and shows zero integrity. I will never do business with them again, and I strongly advise others to be cautious or shop elsewhere. There are plenty of places that don’t treat customers like this.
Absolutely unacceptable.
Salvage One is a venue unlike any other. If you’re looking for something beyond four brick walls and a standard chandelier, this is an absolute must-see. The space is fun, eclectic, and full of character, truly a dream backdrop for couples who want a wedding that feels uniquely their own.
Colleen at Salvage One is a joy to work with. She’s a quick communicator, incredibly helpful, and so creative when it comes to bringing each couple’s vision to life. Her support makes the planning process smoother and the wedding day experience unforgettable.
If you want a one-of-a-kind setting and a team that genuinely cares, Salvage One delivers every time. You and your guests will leave with the very best memories.
We had our wedding at Salvage One this past Friday and it could not have gone better. From the communication, professionalism, attention to detail, and promptness of the staff-Salvage One was the best decision we made for our venue. We received so many compliments from our guests! We will continue to recommend SO to everyone we know that is looking for a venue.
We couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect reception venue than Salvage One. It’s a truly unique, eclectic space that reflected our equally eclectic (American and Indian) crowd in the best way. It stands completely on its own—timeless, full of character, and endlessly inspiring. And Colleen and Bella were amazing to work with from day one. Their collaborative energy, deep knowledge of the space, and impeccable attention to detail helped bring our vision to life. The day before, Colleen was so excited to show me a new light they just got that fit the aesthetic I was seeking perfectly, and it was so validating that she was just as excited as me to host. The space didn’t just look beautiful, it felt right. It was engaging, intimate, magical, and completely unforgettable. So many of our guests told us they want to return just to soak in the space again or buy the inventory. A one of a kind experience.
There's all sorts of reasons why you might review this place. for decades I came here as I tirelessly renovated our 100-year old Chicago home. I could always find the particular hinge, or wood detail that had once been part of our home's history. But now? I come here for a venue - and it is way more fun and less costly rummaging around this super place because of a wedding or a concert. The recent event, a classical concert called "Secret Byrd" celebrating the music of Elizabethan composer, William Byrd, was pure magic.
Come to browse or come for an event. It's amazing.
Salvage One is hands down one of the most unique and visually stunning venues in Chicago. Every corner is packed with character and charm, offering endless inspiration for photos and creating an unforgettable atmosphere for guests. The staff was kind, responsive, and truly accommodating – they made the logistics feel easy so we could all focus on the fun. This space brings something special to every wedding, and I always love shooting here! A literal photographers wonderland! Thank you so so much for having us
A truly sublime experience! A room full of the best fans in the world and an outstanding quartet! The energy was wonderful and I can’t wait to attend the next event. Truly did Queen Bey justice
Our friends got married here a couple of weeks ago and we loved this place! We are from out of town, so never would have known about it had they not gotten married there but what an interesting and eclectic space. Totally would have a party here if we lived in Chicago.
We visited this 60,000-sq.-ft. showroom for a Candlelight event, and the space was absolutely stunning—packed with beautiful antique and salvaged indoor and outdoor furnishings. Due to the event, we weren't allowed to walk through the showroom, but even from a distance, everything looked incredible.
We managed to take a few photos and definitely plan to return another time to explore it fully. It’s a unique and inspiring space, even just as a backdrop.
Salvage One is a cool place to visit and check out their inventory. They salvage old building interior hardware, stained glass, doors, windows, lighting, fireplace matles, tin ceilings, cornices, columns, exterior facade, statuary, etc. Large built in cabinets and bars, as well as furniture is available. It also rents out their indoor and outdoor space for events.
Salvage one is the coolest venue in Chicago. The entire staff was so helpful and enjoyable to work with in planning our September 2024 wedding. They had helpful vendor and insurance recommendations and were able to suggest the right lay out for our 230 person wedding. We loved that the space felt different each time we visited - it’s so alive! We received so many compliments from guests and felt very cool knowing we introduced people to such a special spot. We loved being able to use things from the store in our day - tables, chairs, cornhole, foosball, a podium, lights, lettering, bars, etc. We also purchased a beautiful seed box from salvage one - there are not many wedding venues where you can bring home a souvenir! 10/10 - strongly recommend!
Salvage One was the most fabulous venue for our July 2024 wedding! When we toured this space, we immediately fell in love with the vintage eclectic vibe and loved that the downstairs, courtyard and upstairs were all included with the rental, plus that the inventory in the store would make up our dinner table and chairs. The giant wooden elephants flanking the ceremony space also made for a unique and memorable touch! The architectural features and beautiful furniture in this space meant we really didn't need much decor or florals to enhance the space which helped us save a lot. The upstairs dance floor had plenty of space to dance the night away (plus a disco ball) and two great stage options; the smaller of which we used for our DJ and the larger one for speeches and cake cutting. The indoor and outdoor spaces are truly versatile and really offer something for any couple. Colleen and her staff were so fantastic (and fun!) to work with throughout the whole planning process and were great at answering all of our nitty gritty questions. They were familiar with all of our vendors and all worked so great together which made for a smooth and stress-free wedding! All of our guests complimented us endlessly on how beautiful and cool the venue was and how well it fit mine and my husband's personalities. We absolutely loved our wedding at Salvage One and hope we can be guests at an event there sometime soon so we can relieve our magical day!
Pc: Madi Ellis Photography
We were here for a charity event a few weeks ago. The store itself was closed but the event space itself was very interesting. Not your typical banquet hall. Wide open with a very rustic feel to it. The staff was wonderful and the food the served (buffet style) was superb!
It had been many years since my last visit. Spanning three floors, it seems Dalvage One has found a balance between being an architectural salvage location and an event space. Much of the first and second floors is dedicated to weddings and parties. Still a very fun placevto explore in.
Salvage One is by FAR one of the coolest spots in Chicago. Being able to photograph weddings here is always a great experience. Even though it's an antique furniture store, it's set up perfectly for couples. There are endless indoor spots for photos and they even have a stunning back area. Every couple I've photographed at Salvage One has absolutely loved their choice to get married here. I can't wait to continue to return to this awesome venue in the future!
Old building converted into an antiques store/reclaimed furniture store. Truly enjoyed walking around the three levels and seeing all sorts of items from small items such as door handles to massive columns.
Amazing three floors antique/vintage/reclaimed furniture and architectural elements. The items are very well organized and is set-up in a way that you can try them out. (Sitting, touching, moving, etc)
The second floor is also a rental venue for concerts as well. How cool is that!!
Salvage One was a great venue for my niece's wedding! It has lots of space and multiple floors and a real groovy vibe with all the consignment (I assume) furniture and antiques. There are bars on the first floor and second floors. The ceremony was on the first floor and the reception was on the second floor. This worked out fantastic. The parking area behind was perfect for the cupcake truck to show up. Great low traffic area.
I knew Salvage One was going to be our wedding venue from the second we stepped inside! The entire space has so much character and is incredibly charming and breathtaking, without even needing an abundance of decor to spruce it up. We never even had to leave the premises to get photos because there are so many many different unique and beautiful spots both in, and outside, the venue! Every guest that we spoke with, both during the wedding and after, commented on how beautiful and unique the venue was and how they had never seen anything like it.
We were in contact with both Kelly and Colleen leading up to the day and both were very helpful in answering any questions we had—Kelly was especially great during the walkthrough at explaining everything and coordinating with our vendors and making sure they knew everything they needed to!
If you're looking for a beautiful, unique wedding venue, we would highly recommend Salvage One!
What an awesome "hidden" gem in the Chi...wow! Music was excellent . Venue is one of the most romantic....it was a lil cold but the show was only an hour or so....
Appreciated that in the courtyard which is outside you can't hear anything on the street...so you can focus on your company and the music....
And the antiques are worth a looking at as well
Salvage One Chicago is one of the most unique wedding venues in the midwest. As a photographer, the grounds and interior made amazing and quirky backdrops for my portraits with the couple. If you are looking for a stunning venue with so much character look no further. I highly recommend this amazing Midwest wedding venue!
My associate and I had such a lovely time shooting Susan's & Jordan's wedding here this past Feb. This venue is such a unique spot to have a wedding ceremony & reception! Highly recommend this place to engaged couples. ~ Winterlyn Photography
Amazing venue for weddings with antiques everywhere. The whole place has beautiful wooden floors and grand window panes. The third floor holds an entire shop of antiques from foosball tables to block letters to baseball seats. The wedding we had there was comfortable with space, seating, bathrooms, temperature, and wifi. 10/10 would give it a look for your wedding and overall shopping endeavors
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