TRAVEL Hunt for bargains at Aberfoyle Antique Market
If
you’re looking for real antiques and barn finds then read on. The Aberfoyle Antique Market (www.aberfoyleantiquemarket.com or 1-877-763-1077) established in 1961 on the outskirts of Guelph is only an hour and a half from Niagara. It’s held every Sunday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. until Oct. 25.
There’s lots of free parking, the grounds are mostly wheelchair accessible, there’s no smoking allowed in accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and admission is only $2 per person. There is one exception. On Sept. 19 there’s a Saturday Special Antique Show and admission is $5 per person.
My wife, Ellen, and I found it a great place to spend a summer Sunday. Doug Lane, who has owned the market since 1983 says: “Ours is a true antique market. We have 60 or so regular vendors and an additional 30 one-time vendors each week. Many of these become regular vendors.”
As we browsed the clean, well laid out market we realized he was right. There was a wide variety of goods. To name a few, there were old books, retro toys, board games, antique bikes, clocks, butter boxes and lovely furniture that had stood the test of time.
We were intrigued by the mannequins we saw. Ron Thompson of Guelph had one for sale with a small note attached: “Great for HOV Lane.”
Ellen found out this was a market where you could do a bit of haggling. Her antique wrought iron basket to hold flowers started out at $20, but she was able to scoop it for $10.
Peter Ward, 83, a.k.a. “Dr. Junk” has been a fixture at the market for 44 years. You won’t miss him. He’s a cheerful guy with a great handle-bar moustache and a joyous grin. You’ll find him and his two daughters in an old barn filled with, what Ward refers to as, “wonderful genuine antiques. There’s no junk here.” He even has his antique late ’30s Werlex Tricycle that he rode as a child. You can get it for the right price. Today a big part of his business is providing stuff for movie sets and bars.
Two more vendors I spoke with were Janet and Robert Lovegrove of Paris, Ont. They’ve been selling at the market for the past 15 years.
Janet Lovegrove says: “We love it here. The owner is easy to deal with, the washrooms are clean, the on-site cafe is great, the customers and the rest of the sellers are friendly.”
In the next booth was Sharon Sutton of Newmarket who was trying to discover what the purpose of one of her antiques was. So far, it remains a mystery. Check it out.
We also ran across Linda and Gord Douglas of Niagara Falls. They’ve been selling at the market for the past 25 years. Gord said: “It’s plenty of fun and many of our regulars have become friends.”
It was a hot day and we were looking for a treat to cool us down.
We stumbled upon an ice cream wagon called, “Get The Scoop.” John and Liliana Pusic of Guelph started Bluewater Creamery last May out of a love for ice cream. They have created 27 flavours using local farm fresh ingredients. Check out the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble and Cherry Cheesecake you’ll be coming back for more.
I just followed my nose and went inside the on-site Aberfoyle Cafe where eggs crackled and bacon sizzled and filled the room with the most wonderful smells. I settled for a peameal bacon sandwich and a cup of coffee. Ellen had a fried egg sandwich and her usual tea. The price for both around $12. We enjoyed our meal on a lovely new outdoor covered patio beside a children’s playground. It couldn’t have gotten any better.
How to Get There
This is a simple drive north of Hamilton along Highway 6 (Brock Road S. towards Guelph. From the 401, take exit 299 North (not exit 295, Highway 6 N.) to Guelph. The market is a blink-and-you’ll miss it location just 2.5 kilometres north of the 401 or 10 kilometres south of Guelph. The GPS does not recognize this address.