Newtown Old Wares

Macramé wall-​hangings never died, they were just comatose for a while. Walking in here was like walking into my aunt and uncle’s house when I was a kid. The abovementioned macramé, a cane chair-​pod thing that hangs from the wall, dreadful kitsch nudes as art.
Specialising in art and antiques from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s this is an absolute retro timewarp. You don’t see pineapple-​head money boxes and a green enamel electric stove for sale every day. While I was wandering the aisles, the two gentlemen staff were engaged in a very stern discussion over chair placement. People who take their furniture seriously. While not cheap from a buyer’s point of view, the sign claims they hire and buy items as well.
I still think macramé looks like an activity forced on 1940’s mental patients awaiting their turn at the electroshock table.

So upon closer look, Newtown Old Wares has a smaller sub-​shop to its right with more household-​type items. If you’re even on a grand quest for an antique rotary phone, a retro radio, some decorative vases or perhaps a television circa 1950, this is your place! The long corridor through the center of the shop will lead you past nooks and crannies filled with treasures your grandmother once had. From gumball machines to Bakelite dishes, the antique merchandise has been well selected.
If I had all the money in the whole world, I would have purchased two things here. First, I would have become the proud owner of a 60s desk with laminated world map covering its surface. However, by far the most interesting item in this whole shop is the 1960’s home sauna. This contraption looks like a refrigerator with a head hole cut in the top. I can only guess that one climbs on it and shuts the door trapping oneself inside from the neck down and then… Bakes? Or steams? Or stews? Either way, pretty ridiculous and therefor, pretty brilliant.

This place is an absolute haven for anyone who loves antiques. You can get anything from an old radio to ancient lamps, chairs, crockery etc. They have stocks from every decade and if you ever thought that you wanted to get some particular furniture from another decade — you can’t miss going to Newtown Old Wares .
Last week I bought two beautifully restored TV chairs which were on sale for 50 $ each. What an amazing value for money — they are made out of real teak. There were four of these on sale but I only bought two that day. The next day I went to back to buy the other two — but they were already gone. Obviously they were a steal for that price.
The owner of the place is an absolute gentleman and I think I will be going there again for sure. He even gave me his number to call him in case I needed to ask him about anything related to furniture. Surely he knows a few things about good customer service.