There is an antique shop in Beaverton owned by two elderly and very eccentric sisters. The shop building is a formerly splendid Victorian home. It was quite beautiful, at one time possibly the nicest home on the street with 12 foot ceilings, fine polished woodwork throughout, shining oak floors, paneled walls, crown moldings, tall clean windows. I know this because one of the sisters showed me a little photo album of the house in its former glory. She told me the only thing they had changed after acquiring the home was the paint on the upper wall in the hallway.
We were met with clutter on the verandah and a dank smell when we opened the door to the shop. As my eyes and mind adjusted to the clutter inside I began to notice that it was very organized clutter. Every inch of lightly grime coated space was filled but items were sorted, like things with like. The girls have worked diligently.
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We began in the back rooms and worked our way forward, looking for buried treasure in the clutter. We moved about slowly and carefully, well aware that if we knocked something over and broke it, we would be charged the well inflated price on the tag. I do not think they sell very much but are in business for the love of things they have acquired over many years.
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Later, in the front shop, one of the sisters looked over at the sweater clips that had caught our eye and remarked, "oh, there is one missing!" Suprising that she could know that with all the thousands and thousands of items in this shop. It turns out they had more stored away in boxes...all organized like the shop.
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One sister began to chat with us and when her other left the room, she told us that sister was always threatening to throw out her "things" if she died first! (Each has her own special interests in collectables) She then whispered to me that she would do exactly the same to her! Just a little rivalry between sisters, right?
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I did purchase a "not antique but old" gently read book I had found on the verandah. Bill Bramah's Nook's & Crannies. Each chapter on an interesting place or person he has met while daytripping around Ontario. I have enjoyed the book and after the visit to this antique shop I think I should write one myself.
We left the shop, glad to get outside into sweet air again. I felt my hair had picked up some of the dank smell and needed shampoo.
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