SheShopsTO

If you’re the type to walk along the street and never look up, you could be missing out on one of the neatest antique shops in east Toronto.

Correction: ascend the half staircase to the Danforth Village Antique Market, Finders Keepers for short, and you won’t find a shop per se. The Danforth and Pape Aves. antique abode truly has the look and feel of an antiques market.

Owner and antiques dealer Ali Medina has been plying his trade for over 30 years, between his European adventures and partaking in several antique downtown market ventures before opening his own on the Danforth.

No matter that what started as an antique market with 13 or so dealers about three years ago has shrunk to just Ali himself as a dealer. Don’t think for a second that that means the breadth of goods or knowledge is any the lesser.

In fact SheShops dares you to find an era or category that ISN’T represented at Finders Keepers:

Rare 18th century Minton china (pictured here; the platter is going for $245 and dinner plates are $125 each); retro glassware; antique lighters; lamps and chandeliers of various eras; enough vintage jewellery to sink a ship.

There’s more. Carved wood pieces; perfume bottles; clocks and watches; religious artifacts, artwork; pottery, dolls, crystal and brass.

On a recent visit there were books full of first-issue stamps (and postcards explaining their relevance) from Canada and the USA, with prices averaging $10 per envelope.

From the kitschy to the creepy, the elegant to the austere, this shop has it all.  And if it doesn’t, let’s just say it’s Ali’s personal mission to find it for you.

He’s got a hoard of pickers finding stuff for him, and he’s pretty up on what things are selling for and what’s out there as a good portion of his biz is from online selling.

Prices aren’t bargain basement but they’re fair. And with an ongoing (at least for the last 6 months) 50 percent off jewellery sale, there’s extra incentive for bling lovers to loiter over the jewellery counters a wee bit longer than usual.

SheShops fell in love with an Art Deco brass and green cut glass choker, signed “Regina”, for $150 with the 50 percent off.

Other cool items: collectible handmade Canadian dolls by the Marina Guild of Handicapped Artisans, around $95-$110 each.

Definitely a shopping feat for the peepers. Hope you find some keepers like SheShops did.

715 Danforth Ave.

416-599-7072

www.findersantiques.info