“Everything we do at PAGODA RED carries meaning. We believe in making connections with people near and far through extraordinary objects and their stories.”

-Betsy Nathan, Founder

I’m Betsy Nathan, founder and creative director of PAGODA RED in Chicago, Illinois.

PAGODA RED is a destination for antiques, art, and curiosities. We started primarily with objects from China and Asia, but we’ve expanded now to include interesting curiosities, antiques, furniture and fine art, from Europe, Latin America and Africa…truly from wonderful makers and artists wherever they may be.

I’m often asked why I named the gallery “Pagoda Red”. A pagoda is a traditional home for auspicious books, but I expanded the concept to be inclusive beyond books, to include all extraordinary objects. By adding “red”, a traditional Chinese color of strength and good luck, I was harkening prosperity.

I moved to China in 1994 to study Mandarin and happened to live a stone’s throw from the antique furniture market in Beijing. Every day I wandered through the labyrinth of apothecaries, canopy beds, hand-woven baskets and curiosities that I had never imagined existed. Soon enough, I met my mentor who introduced me to the wonders of mortise and tenon joinery, lacquer finishes and wood species that would ignite my love affair with traditional Chinese furniture and art.

I’ve always looked for things that were not necessarily traditional but showed the hand and spirit of it’s maker, be it now, 100, 200, 300 years ago and beyond. I used to scour collections in the Chinese countryside and would feel satisfied if one or two treasures appeared after a day of hunting. Now, as a result of having been around for decades, we’ve established our niche and, the treasures seem to find us.

Occasionally, I set up a desk in an isle of our open storage to get inspiration. Immersing myself in the collection feels good because it’s genuine and grounding.

I have such an extraordinary team! The eight of us collaborate on vignettes in the gallery, photography in the studio, in-house restoration, historical research and with clients and their projects — doing all of this as a small team is not easy, but by celebrating each other’s strengths, we figure it out.

Besides working with many interior designers, we also have other clients and collectors all over the world who look to us to bring beautiful history, genuine culture and rich authenticity into their lives.

The work I do provided an opportunity for me to explore myself. There has never a grand plan, but each day along the way has ended up energizing me. PAGODA RED has always been a place for me to channel my interests and creative energies. It has opened doors for me to explore the world and share what I discover with others.

Thank you to the talented team from the Illinois Retail Merchant Association (IRMA) We Are Retail for taking the time to get to know us.