Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Classics & Cobwebs

I am a sucker for antique shops. In fact second hand-stores in general have a tendency to catch my eye. It's a great way to either hold on to a part of the past, even buy it; or to look through the discarded and attribute new value. In my humble opinion, you get three types of second-hand stores:

The first would hate to be called a second-hand store with the same indignation with which a second-hand car salesmen might refer to the merchandise as "pre-owned". We all know it's second-hand my friend, you are not fooling anyone. This is the type of shop that sell Antiques, but only a few people would understand why it now costs so much more now that it is old. Unless you really understand the little secret tells that makes the pieces authentic, then the appeal may well be lost on you; and the price tag may seem a bit ridiculous no matter how pretty the pieces are.

The second kind of place is the one where you can buy a Mickey Mouse shot-glass for R3. It's the bargain-hunter's kind of place where you rummage around for the odd gem. These places you revisit every month in the hopes of striking second-hand gold. Oh, you don't believe me; you think people don't do this. Well, you are wrong -- I do this. I found a Pair of Weermags for R50; and they still had tread on the soles. These places buy in bulk and sell to the public in a more relaxed vibe. They will have the box full of R5 toys to flog to moaning children as the mother (or starving student) finds a few mismatched knives and forks.

The third is my favourite. It's more of the collectors store. It's the kind of store you walk past, glance inside and just know the stuff in there is cool. It's like it kept a log of all the cool stuff from the past, put in on shelves; donned their leather jacket, put on a pair of Aviators and just looked cool. In stores like that no one with a tweed jacket needs to explain to you why the items on display are worth something, you just know it. It's like a museum of post-awesome, with price tags. Classics & Cobwebs is one of these stores. You walk past and can't help thinking, "Go in, you know you want to." They also supply my favourite second-hand store in Hermanus, which is called 'Romantiques.' If you like epic stuff from days long gone then this place is a must.

Address: 30 Main Road, Die Oude Fabriek, Knysna
Email: classicsandcobwebs@gmail.com

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