The Ottawa Antique Market is one of the city’s retail gems. Located on Bank St. in Ottawa South and tucked in the side of the building, stepping through its doors transports you to the best flea market you’ve ever laid eyes on.
You can shop all the usual suspects commonly laid in the flea market circuit–kitschy trinkets, intricate home décor items, vintage clothing, old records, tapestries and grandiose grandfather clocks. For fellow bookworms, you’re in luck. Shelves upon shelves of books are scattered throughout the store, containing contemporary titles as well as beautiful, collector-worthy picks. An area well-populated in clocks greets you with a medley of tick-tocks, slightly off-time from each other.
The Ottawa Antique Market is comprised of a selection of pieces from over 25 professional antique dealers. Not surprisingly then, the store boasts itself as possessing the widest range of merchandise and at the highest quality. Nevertheless, a purchase need not cost you an arm and a leg. While higher-priced items, particularly furniture, carpets, art or jewelry, are to be expected on the antiquing circuit, a good eye and patient mind reveals a myriad of affordable prices for unique finds.
Home décor pieces, such as catch-all decorative boxes, vases or serving ware, are not difficult to find at reasonable prices, similar to buying it new in-store, or even cheaper. Among some of the astounding deals discovered during my visit was a 12-string acoustic guitar for the low price of $295, while they generally start at twice as much if you purchase new.
A visit to the Ottawa Antique Market should not be expected to be a quick trip. To have a sufficient look at everything requires at least an hour. Word on the street is some individual dealers can be found at the store on the weekends if you’d like to ask them questions about their collection. Otherwise, a friendly team of staff is situated at the front of the store, ready to respond to inquiries and provide information.
Schedule a shopping trip to the Ottawa Antique Market and score an awesome find for your loved ones this holiday season.
