Entry No. 52 — the Des Moines file — filed under: records
Paradox Antiques, Art, & Oddities
An eccentric Victorian-era curiosity shop where collector Matthew Parsons deliberately juxtaposes light and dark, so a prosthetic leg might sit next to delicate antique jewelry. Beautiful chaos, and the stock turns over constantly.
The story
The mistake most people make with old curiosity shops is assuming the clutter is accidental. At Paradox Antiques, owner Matthew Parsons knows precisely why a vintage prosthetic leg is propped next to a case of delicate Victorian gold lockets. He builds these deliberate collisions on purpose—pairing the macabre with the sublime so your eye can't settle on just one mood. It’s a curated salon of beautiful friction where taxidermy, dark art, medical oddities, and rare jewelry share the exact same air.
The shop began its life on 8th Street—which explains why older write-ups and the store's original web footprint still point you toward an address that won't help you. It eventually outgrew that original footprint and migrated over to Story Street, downtown Boone's main commercial drag. Inside, the stock turns over fast enough that two visits a month apart rarely feel like the same store, supplied by a constant stream of local pickers, estate clearances, and Parsons’ own uncanny eye for things that fall outside ordinary antique-mall math.
What it's like
Expect a dense, moody storefront where every surface is packed but intentionally styled. You’ll be navigating narrow aisles flanked by wet specimens, framed art, antique toys, and silver filigree. It’s quiet and tactile, but don't arrive on a Monday or Tuesday—the doors are locked early in the week, with regular business concentrated Wednesday through Saturday. Boone’s vintage block is surprisingly tight, so you can step right out of Paradox and hit Iron Horse Antique Mall and Urban Heirlooms in under two minutes.
The move: Give yourselves a budget and a dare to each find the single strangest object in the shop, then make the other guess what it actually is.
📍 Before you go Paradox outgrew its original 8th Street location and now fills a storefront at 723 Story Street, downtown Boone's main drag — older write-ups (and the shop's own '818' web handle) still point to the old address, so aim for Story Street. Boone is an easy day trip, about 45 minutes north of Des Moines, and the schedule skews Wednesday-through-Saturday, so don't build an early-week plan around it. The same few blocks are Boone's little vintage district — Iron Horse Antique Mall and Urban Heirlooms sit within steps — so leave time for a crawl.
- 📍 Boone
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 818 8th St., Boone, IA 50036
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Boone County Historical Society (former Masonic Temple) — Located just a block away, this 1907 Masonic temple turned county museum lets you trade curated Victorian macabre for local history with a side of reported ghost lore.
- Kate Shelley High Bridge — A short drive west of downtown Boone, this towering 1901 rail viaduct gives you a massive, wind-swept outdoor historical artifact to balance out Paradox's claustrophobic indoor treasures.
- Cellar 626 — If you're heading back toward Des Moines via Ames, pop behind the liquor store cooler at Cyclone Liquors to break up your day trip with a hidden speakeasy drink.
Good to know
Where is Paradox actually located?
Ignore older web listings that send you to 818 8th Street. Paradox outgrew that spot and is now located at 723 Story Street on downtown Boone's main drag.
What kind of items do they sell?
Expect an ever-shifting mix of Victorian jewelry, taxidermy, medical and surgical antiques, original art, oddities, and traditional high-end vintage items.
When is the best time to visit?
Aim for Wednesday through Saturday, as the shop is typically closed early in the week. Check their current hours on Facebook before driving out, as operating times can shift.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: destinationsmalltown.com · 818paradox.wordpress.com · Facebook
last checked: 2026-06-09