Scoring a hat trick in Ladner
In recent weeks, we have been asking you to tell us about your favourite secret shops, and home decor haunts you hit when looking for household treasures. This week, we visit Ladner, where readers sent us to three distinctly different shops.
When you wander into the Dragonfly Gallery in Ladner Village, the first thing that hits you is that owner Alain Nowak not only has an eye for a vintage treasure; he also knows how to display his many collectibles in an airy but compact space. Stacked everywhere are turn- of- thecentury tools, primitive benches, prairie tables, folk art, signs, windows and a motherlode of blanket boxes. Located just off the riverfront at 4930 Chisholm St., Dragonfly might well be Metro Vancouver’s best- kept country antiques secret. A retired high school math teacher, Nowak has been in the business of collecting and selling antiques since 1979. He used to spend his weekends travelling to places like the Kootenays, where he would go “blind” door knocking, asking homeowners if they had any treasures to sell. He’d load up his truck and, back home, resell the items to local dealers. One such adventure netted him 30 blanket boxes. “I’m a picker with a store,” says Nowak. “I’m the guy that finds treasures by many means.” Nowak has a great selection of old soda crates, which, if re- imagined, could be turned into unique home decor. Need a pine kindling box to hold magazines or your kids’ soccer balls? He has one. We heard about Dragonfly from reader Joan Seib, who told us there is “something new every day.” Nowak’s reasonable prices, coupled with frequent restocking, means the inventory is ever changing. When asked about his best- ever pick, Nowak replied, without hesitation: “You mean, besides my wife?” He then added that, besides Laurene and his family, “it would have to be a small red cupboard with little branches glued on to it.” Nowak’s passion for what he does is infectious. He lights up when talking about his recent finds. And if you’re searching for something specific and can’t seem to find what you’re looking for, be sure to ask, as chances are he’ll know where to find it. Just next door you’ll find Heritage Home Interiors, another Ladner Village trove of home decor. Owned by the Fraser family — dad Marv, mom Lynn and son Jamie — this lovely shop has a little something for everyone. You’ll find a great selection of new furniture, from occasional chairs and sofas to sideboards. In fact, much of the furniture is made locally or sourced from other parts of Canada. They also do custom work, the part of the business that Jamie enjoys most. Take him your ideas and Fraser will sketch something to suit. Dad Marv has a thing for nautical, which is why you’ll notice the store has a varied selection of model ships. If you’re a dog lover or looking for a gift for one, employee Stacey has stocked the store with all kinds of canine- related decor. The shop also has clocks, cushions, rugs, linens, lighting and even jewelry. Or, as reader Renetta Nagel told us: “I always find something there which I want to take home with me.” Around the corner and up the street is The Blue Door Interiors, at 5094 48th Avenue.
Jana Walker owns this quaint decor boutique and fills it with a well- curated collection of furniture and home accents, some of it old, some new and some what she likes to call “repurposed industrial”. Says reader Diane Catt, “Jana presents old pieces of decor in a very enticing way.” Walker sources much of her inventory from upstate New York and New Jersey auctions. You’ll even find architectural pieces from old Shaughnessy mansions. If you’ve never been to Ladner, there’s never been a better reason to check it out, starting with these secret shops.