Last Saturday was pretty busy in the shop as weekend visitors start to pour into Winchester for the Christmas Market and to discover all our lovely independent shops.
Vintage treasures that found new homes ranged from 1930s hats to a 1940s dressing gown and a late-60s Frank Usher velvet dress to a Victorian ostrich feather cape!
It was also a weekend of spooky coincidences. We had a lovely couple, visiting Winchester from Bedfordshire, for the weekend. They were avid Alan Ayckbourn fans and had tried to book for the Chesil Theatre’s “Season’s Greeting’s” – the production Gary and I have been rehearsing for some weeks now! (And which has proved a festive diversion from my list of vintage goodies waiting to be added to the website -so sorry!). The show sold out before we opened (and closes on Saturday night) so our intrepid theatre-goers went to “Calamity Jane” at the Theatre Royal.? There’s always plenty of things to do in Winchester!
The other spooky coincidence occurred when I invited a party of lovely ladies to sing along to a song of their choice (people love breaking into songs as they browse – be it, Bobby Vee or Doris Day).? One customer said, “You haven’t got “Downtown” by Petula Clark, have you?” and suddenly,on the speaker, we heard the unforgettable opening chords of Tony Hatch’s classic 60s’ song. I hadn’t even selected it. Spooky! Then, as the party broke into song, another lady told us that she had sung “Downton” at the Royal Festival Hall, as a backing singer, with Petula, herself!
What a lovely way to end a busy Saturday in Winchester – so many vintage discoveries made and, now, when I hear “Downtown” I’ll always remember those lovely customers!? Thank you, Ladies.