by David Sepulveda
Long-time New Haveners and those that love antiques, will remember that State Street and Westville Centers were once bustling antiques destinations. Weekends in particular, saw large influxes of treasure hunters looking for that special antique or collectible.
Today, the popular city locations boast restaurants, art galleries and gift shops alongside small service businesses. Finding shops that specialize in antiques and collectibles has become more difficult, as interest in antiques has waned — an apparent paradigm shift with public tastes gravitating toward more contemporary sensibilities.
The excitement inspired by PBS’s Antiques Road Show program and the abundance of items made possible through internet auction sites and stores such as EBAY, no longer seem to capture the public’s imagination as they once did. Many antiques dealers have simply closed shop, eliminating overhead in favor of internet sales or the occasional antique show, though those too, have dwindled to a precious few. Others have simply thrown in the towel, lamenting what they perceive to be a by-gone era.
Fortunately for those that still crave the thrill of the hunt and joy in finding vintage items, New Haven retains several consignment shops specializing in antiques, collectibles, and objets d’art.
One shop that traces its tradition back several decades to the old Hadassah consignment shop on Whalley Avenue and Brownell Streets, is Consignment Corner. Now in its new location at the fork of Fountain Street and Whalley Avenue in the heart of Westville, owners Rudy Sannino and Bill Connelly have operated the business since 1997. Leaving behind a deteriorating structure at their old location, they moved into an architect-refurbished jewel that is more in line with their refined offerings. One would not be surprised to find exquisite Tiffany vases, glistening chandeliers or even rare estate jewelry there.
For those wishing to consign quality items, the consignment rate is 40%, in the middle range of the local shops I frequent. According to Connelly, customers willing to take a chance and postpone gratification, can realize savings as unsold items are marked down after one month.
A couple of miles west of Westville Center, at 1522 Whalley Avenue, is the humorously titled “Funkenjunk”- not to be confused with the Goodwill Store that inhabits the other side of the building. A bright lime-green sign and an array of fun items welcome travelers along the busy thoroughfare. Shop owners Sergay and Dale Mihaylo (pictured) have owned the business for four years though they have been in and around the antiques trade for decades.
The warehouse-sized building with soaring ceilings, is home to an eclectic mix of costume jewelry, vintage clothing, antique and classic modern furnishings and collectibles. Artwork is neatly arranged and rises almost to the rafters. While Dale and Sergay stock their shop primarily through estate purchases, they will occasionally consign special items for good customers at a reasonable 35% rate. Their formula ensures a steady supply of items to covet — but no actual junk.
On the edge of New Haven’s Ninth Square area at 839 Chapel St., a couple of cast iron urns filled with lush greenery seem incongruent at first blush. A trail of eye-catching items lead one to the door of the English Building Markets, as it is called, and home to Carol Orr’s consignment business (pictured at top).
For a long time, that portion of Chapel Street had been dominated by a motley collection of discount and chain stores that seemed to have been left out of the gentrification fervor sweeping much of the area. New area development now promises to change that. Carol, and husband Robert, an architect, own the building.
Upon entering the shop, it is impossible to miss the eight foot-wide photograph of a winged John Travolta from his 1996 movie “Michael”. Other items of kitsch along with a large collection of vintage clothing, mid-century modern furnishings, antiques and shabby-chic items abound. A second floor walk-up housing furniture has just opened, adding to the shop’s expansive size. Fresh cut flower bunches have also been added to the store’s inventory and will bring a much-needed splash of color to the street scape. The consignment rate to consignors stands at 50 percent of items sold, but buyers may find Carol’s prices have some flexibility built in.
For now, in a tide of changing tastes and a challenging economy, New Haven’s consignment shops continue to defy the odds, providing customers with good value and select treasures among their pleasant clutter.