Looking to spruce up the home? A vintage lamp or rug might be the right fit. Ateliers Brocante Bourgeon is a vintage shop in Huntingdon; it recently changed ownership but is still offering the same huge variety of vintage goods for all occasions.
A little while back, Jill Rankin told the former owner of the shop that once she was ready to retire, she wants to take over. About six months ago, Rankin took the reins and says that this job is “exactly what I needed and exactly what I wanted to do with the last 10 or 15 years of my professional life.” She used to be a drug counselor but is appreciating the change of pace in this career shift. “I’m in love. This is not work. This is just fun. I come to ‘fun’ every day,” she says.
Rankin’s interest in vintage items is not new. She herself has been a collector over the years and says, “There’s a friendliness… there’s a nostalgia” being surrounded by vintage items. “I grew up in that type of household where everything had a purpose and everything had a use, but everything also had beauty,” she adds.
The shop’s products include a diverse array of vintage goods, from furniture to jewelry to knickknacks, furs, leather, and so much more. Rankin is always trying to find something new to feature, and if a customer is looking for something specific, she makes it her mission to find it for them.
Shoppers almost always come with a story. “It’s fascinating to see what interests people,” Rankin says. Running the shop has allowed her to learn more about different kinds of vintage and better understand why people like what they like. “I find that I’m becoming passionate about things that I didn’t know, and that’s pretty cool,” she adds.
Being surrounded by vintage goods everyday has been a thrill for Rankin. She loves that each piece in her store comes with a history. “One of the parts that I love the most about it is the education. I get to learn every single day about why a saltshaker from a certain country is made in a certain way and what the difference in value is from one year’s make to the next,” she says. Vintage shopping also contributes to helping the environment. “I don’t want to contribute to a landfill,” she adds, and explains that even if she isn’t sure something will sell, having it on display at her shop prevents it from being wasted.
The shop is open Wednesday to Sunday. Rankin is also working on a website to offer an online shopping option. She also hopes to collaborate more with local merchants and host community events soon. For now, keep up to date by following Ateliers Brocante Bourgeon on Facebook.