A little piece of Heaven
right in your own backyard

If you take a short drive down Mer Bleue Road you'll find a little piece of Heaven just south of Innes Road.

Hélène's Antique Heaven is the pride and joy of Hélène Vendette. A former public servant, Hélène first began collecting antiques as a hobby to help pass the time during her early retirement years.

"I used to go out and browse around the antique stores, consignment shops and "déjà new" stores looking for whatever I thought was interesting," recalls Hélène. "The part I liked the most was finding a good bargain, even sometimes a 'treasure' I thought was worth much more than what I had paid. I became quite hooked."

It didn't take long for Hélène to discover that she wasn't quite ready for retirement. After talking it over with her husband she decided to turn her hobby into a home-based business. The first step was to learn everything she could about antiques and running an antique business by enrolling in the Ashford Institute for Antiques.

After earning her appraiser's certificate in 1999, she converted the basement spaced into Hélène's Antique Heaven. More recently she moved the business into the couple's insulated, extra wide double garage. The new space is more wide open and much brighter than the old space.

The name Hélène's Antique Heaven came from the way she felt when she worked at setting up her shop. "It felt good … like being in my own little heaven," says Hélène.

WHhen she initially set up her business, Hélène combed the countryside going to various estate auctions, flea markets, yard sales... basically anywhere and everywhere she could to find interesting items for her new business

"Every time I went out, It felt like I was on a treasure hunt," describes Hélène. "’I’ve lost count of how many sales and flea markets I went to. It's really enjoyable and almost becomes an addiction."

By September 2000, she was ready to open her business and Hélène's Antique Heaven was born.

Specializing in smaller items, Hélène's Antique Heaven has some furniture such as chairs, occasional tables, washstands, etc., and an extensive selection of collectibles, figurines, glassware, linen, dolls, discontinued porcelain, old household items... all displayed in a cozy and welcoming setting.

"I wanted to keep the feel of the old apartment and then display the items in the appropriate rooms," says Hélène.

It's not uncommon for some customers to spend over an hour browsing though the various items.

Hélène derives her greatest joy by watching the reactions of customers when they see things they remember from their childhood.

"Oh yes, lots of people will remember things from when they were young. They'll say, 'Oh I remember my grandmother had this', or, 'My mother had that'," says Hélène. "It makes you feel pretty good when someone finds a special item they can connect to in some way."

Whether it's a 100-year-old salt spoon or a pair of handcarved, 18th century high back chairs, Hélène's Antique Heaven has literally hundreds of items waiting to grace your home, or decorate a place of business such as a restaurant, etc.

"Antiques are very hot now. Some people will buy a modern house, but will want to decorate it with antiques," says Hélène. "They'll need everything from furniture, to dishes and linens, and decorative items such as pictures and frames, figurines, baskets, and so on."

“And we must not forget the collectibles. They are always popular with the collectors whether they be toy cars or Carnival glass. They give them a connection with the past and antiques and collectibles, when properly cared for, increase in value with time and become not just possessions but investments!".

Hélène's Antique Heaven is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. Off hour viewings are available by appointment.

Hélène's Antique Heaven is located on the lefthand or east side of Mer Bleue Road about 1.5 km from Innes Road (see map). To reach them by phone call 824-6357 or e-mail hah@aei.ca.

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