Ahead of the holiday season, antique shops are a great way to support local small businesses and find something one-of-a-kind for everyone on your list
Antique shops are always full of surprises and one-of-a-kind items. As you get started on your holiday shopping, be sure to swing by one of these shops to support local businesses and to go treasure hunting!
Antique Avenue - 329 Ottawa St. N
Despite only being a small business, they are Ontario’s largest destination for mid-century modern design and antiques as mentioned on their website. They sell a wide range of antique finds, such as vintage treasures, teak furniture, home decor, collectibles and vinyl records. Antique Avenue also specializes in prop rentals for the television and film industry. They occasionally do auctions for sought-after items on their Instagram. They currently temporarily closed their storefront for renovations, but you can still shop on their Instagram.
Artiques - 265 Ottawa St. N
Artiques was founded in 2012 and moved to a larger location in 2016. They are dedicated to selling affordable, rare and peculiar items. They are open to negotiation and are willing to price match if a competitor's prices are lower. Artiques used to sell wholesale rugs and hardware across the country and now their wholesale prices on individual items are also available to their customers. In addition to selling antiques and home decor, they also sell art, textiles, jewellery, furniture and other miscellaneous items.
Earls Court Gallery - 215 Ottawa St. N
Earls Court Gallery was established in 1973 and is a commercial gallery that specializes in contemporary and historical Canadian art. They also consign art (sell art from artists in the community), in addition to repairing and restoring historical art. Their gallery is always open for submissions from the general public.
JMS Treasure Chest Inc - 293 Ottawa St. N
JMS Treasure Chest Inc specializes in antique refurbishing, in addition to selling antique and vintage items. Some of the items they offer include furniture, electronics, comic books, memorabilia, model cars, glassware and china dishes. They also offer rentals of their furniture, clothing and decor, and they have rented to many television and film organizations. They also sell on Etsy and Ebay.
Tucked away in the basement of the Hamilton Antique Mall (233 Ottawa St. North) is Dollywood Plus Vintage, a vibrant pink, Dolly Parton-bedecked, oasis of vintage fashion and body acceptance. It is owned and operated by Jessie Goyette, who is a vocal advocate for the plus size community. Last year, Goyette organized the Hamilton Plus Size Flea Market and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
This past summer, Goyette applied for a booth in the Hamilton Antique Mall. She was accepted almost immediately, and she says the response has been incredible.
“I had people coming in and buying up everything. I had people messaging me, telling me how this is something that they’ve never seen before or been a part of and how there’s no spaces explicitly for plus size people that are run by independent folks in Hamilton, or even in the area in general. Especially focusing on vintage. That pushed me to keep doing it,” said Goyette.
While the body positive movement is slowly gaining traction, there are still many spaces that do not offer options for plus sized people. Having to choose from a tiny selection of ill-fitting clothing is all too common, particularly for anyone looking to express themselves through fun and innovative fashion. Additionally, having only plus-sized options reinforces the narrative that plus sized bodies should be hidden away. Dollywood Plus Vintage looks to battle that narrative through body acceptance and positivity.
“It isn’t just about clothes, and selling clothes. It’s about paying attention to a group of people that are just as deserving to express themselves the way they want to, and embody themselves in whatever way they choose,” said Goyette.
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For Goyette, body positivity means celebrating plus-size bodies.
“I think fat bodies in particular are often devalued or seen as bad. It’s important to acknowledge that people with fat bodies are desirable and worthy of anything that anybody else with a body is. Regardless of their health, regardless of how you whether or not you perceive them to be living healthy or not, that doesn’t matter. I think it’s a human right to be able to express yourself and feel comfortable with who you are, and not be made to feel uncomfortable about the space you take up with your body,” said Goyette.
Going forward, Goyette plans to expand beyond clothing. Zines, buttons, patches and stickers are all in progress.
“I want to have different types of media, literature and art that explicitly speak to the experience of plus sized people in Hamilton,” said Goyette. She hopes that this will foster a sense of community and acceptance that isn’t always easy to find.
Dollywood Plus Vintage itself is bright and happy. Any spots not filled with unique clothes are covered with pictures of Dolly Parton, the Grammy award-winning country singer. The VHS copy of Steel Magnolias rests next to zines and patches. Goyette says that Parton’s song “Wildflowers” in particular speaks to her.
“Wildflowers are still really beautiful despite them not being the norm. They have the capacity to thrive and to overcome anything, regardless of where they are. That, to me, was something that carried over to the fat experience. Much like the wildflower, fat bodies are beautiful in their own way and are dynamic and able to bounce back from anything that society might throw at them,” said Goyette.
Dollywood Plus Vintage has only just begun, and if the initial response is anything to judge by, it will be around for a very long time. Goyette hopes that one day we will live in a world where there’s no need to have an article about a plus sized store because, hopefully by then, it will be so normal. Until then, Goyette’s store can be found in the basement of the Hamilton Antique Mall at stall 01L, and is well worth a look.
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