VINTAGE TREASURES BURIED TOGETHER UNDER ONE ROOF
Saskatoon’s newest vintage store is liberating treasures from dusty basements across the city and giving them an opportunity to find the perfect new home.
The idea for Vintage Mall YXE first came together when owner Joanne Lukash was approached by fellow lovers of vintage items to open a new location of her popular store, Joanne’s Treasure Trove, and with help from two associates, the idea for the mall began to take shape.
“I know a lot of people who love to do the collecting and the selling, but they just don’t have a platform to do that,” Lukash says. “Either they work full-time or simply don’t have the means to set up their own store, or they didn’t have enough stock to do that.”
So she started asking around to see if anyone would be interested in renting a display space, no matter how big or small, in her shop. It didn’t take long to round up a number of unique vendors ready to set up and sell their treasures — especially since the shop is located in Saskatoon’s go-to hub for antique shopping.
The only downfall in having a number of different vendors under one roof, she notes, is that you don’t always get the chance to meet the collector who sourced your perfect new item.
But on the upside, having numerous sellers under one roof means items for sale are constantly changing from week to week, and if you’re looking for a specific item — whether it’s china, antique signs, mid-century modern homeware or vintage Pyrex, just to name a few — one of the vendors is likely to already have it, or they’ll know a place where they can find it.
“Just give us a heads up about what you’re looking for, because we’re all already out there looking. We’ll start a list and try to accommodate those requests.”
Though the store has only been open for just a few weeks, the buzz is already growing and people are embracing the new space with open arms and open wallets. And this is just the start. Lukash is looking forward to seeing the shop grow — she’s always looking for new vendors — and she’s planning more events, such as flea markets, and opportunities to meet the vendors, just to name a few.
VINTAGE MALL YXE
Owner: Joanne Lukash
Address: 309A 33rd Street West Hours: Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 306-979-6255 Check Facebook and Instagram
The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce has moved into a bigger and better space that will allow more opportunities to connect with the public.
Kendra Cruson, the chamber’s vice-president of operations, says the decision to move came after the lease at their old location expired and they realized that, to continue growing as an organization, they would need additional rooms to accommodate more staff, as well as a space that was large enough to allow the chamber to host their members for meetings and events.
“We were really looking for a place where we could have our members, or the public, come into a space that was welcoming and modern and sophisticated, and more on the high-tech side as well, just to meet the demand of where our market is going,” she says.
Another bonus about the new space is the effect it’s having on the chamber’s staff members.
“Our team had grown so much, we were working two or three people per office,” she says with a laugh. “Many of our offices at the other place didn’t have any windows, either, and this office has a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows ... morale actually went up exponentially when we moved here.”
But the positive feedback doesn’t stop with the staff. Members of the chamber have been very impressed with the opportunity to utilize the chamber’s boardroom for their own meetings, as well as enjoying the new space during networking events — many of which take place at lunch, so their members do’t have to give up their precious family time — that help their clients grow their businesses.
“We know that people are super busy, but everyone has to eat lunch,” Cruson said. “It’s just a great way to come in and connect with the community, say hi to old friends, and make some new ones.”
GREATER SASKATOON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Address: 110-345 4th Avenue South Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone: 306-244-2151 Website: www.saskatoonchamber.com
Check Facebook and Instagram Erin Petrow is a reporter at The StarPhoenix. If you have started or moved a small business in Saskatoon within the last few months, contact her at epetrow@postmedia.com.