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A NEW art and antique store has opened in Dursley in a store that has been closed for over a decade.
The Victorian storefront of the Wyke House store in Silver Street had been empty for about 10 years when friends, Simon Carter and Emma Townshend, discovered it.
Their shared passion for history, architecture and interiors, along with the opportunity to purchase the locally well-known historic property, led them to form the new art and antiques business, bringing the property back to life. empty.
The couple have years of experience and expertise between them, in museums, retail, design, with Simon even spending time as a curator of fine arts in Parliament.
Simon has been collecting paintings, small antiques, and vintage items for many years and both love to share their appreciation for art, furniture and decorative arts with their customers.
“We love helping customers find the right things for their personal style at home – especially items that tell a story or are decorated by hand.
“It’s not about collecting things just because they are considered precious, we also like modern items that are well designed or beautifully decorated,†said Simon.
Emma said: “It’s a challenge to open a retail business during the pandemic, especially to be new to the area, and the first antique store the city has ever had.
“We have found the people of Dursley to be really friendly and supportive and hope everyone helps spread the word.
“We look forward to growing the business, attracting new buyers to Dursley and renovating the building over the next few years.”
Inspired by a photograph of the building in 1908, Emma and Simon restored the store front.
“It took a lot of work from us and we still have more to do, but it was worth it,†Emma said.
“We were inspired by a photograph of the building in 1908, then we found traces of a dark green color, which we think could be the original, when we removed the many layers of paint, so we repainted it with a match in a modern classic green.
They received a lot of positive feedback while working on the storefront and the renovation has certainly improved the look of the building.
“We hope to become another of Silver Street’s great independent businesses, making it a great place to shop in the city,†Simon said.
The Wyke House antique shop in Silver Street, Dursley, is open Wednesday through Sunday, or customers can shop online via: wykehouse.co.uk
Many thanks to Andy Barton of the Dursley Heritage Center, who provided details on the history of the store, as well as the above photo of the Stower family outside the store in the 1920s.
Andy said the shop’s former owner, William John Stower, was born in Wyke Regis, near Weymouth in Dorset in 1861, which undoubtedly gave rise to the name ‘Wyke House’.
He was married to Henrietta and they had children, Henry, Mabel and Dorothy. Guillaume died in 1918.
William Stower ran his grocery store at Wyke House in 1901 and it then passed through the family.
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