Inside a sun-drenched storefront nestled on Somerset Street West, a towering ceramic Dalmation stands guard over a collection of vintage oddities: pottery from eras past, faded paintings, even a sprawling retro floor lamp by Canadian ceramicist Maurice Chalvignac.
The new hole-in-the-wall is called Curious Times Collective, a passion project started by former Hill Times journalist Chelsea Nash and her business partner Elena Palanza.
On social media, the seasoned writer joked she traded in her pen to be an entrepreneur because it was the “less stressful option” during an economic crisis. But it goes beyond that.
Ottawa’s urban core is undergoing a vintage revival, with thrift and antique shops not only thriving, but finding a renewed customer base by offering uniqueness, nostalgia and sustainability.
“We met at markets,” said Palanza, who is a graphic designer by trade. “I have organized vintage markets in the city since I was 16, and Chelsea signed up for our market as a vendor. We became friends, but we’ve also always dreamed of having our own store…Taking on something of this magnitude is impossible to do alone.”
Nash said her and Chiara’s goals were aligned early on, when the now business partners daydreamed of opening their own store over social drinks.
After a test run with a pop-up market and a stroke of good fortune – a move-in-ready retail space with fixtures left by the previous resident Darling Vintage – the store opened and was quickly embraced by the community.
“Just how positive the reception has been is incredible,” said Palanza. “Truly, the neighbourhood has been super welcoming. A lot of people online comment, ‘You’re going to be so successful in this location.’ And they’re right. It’s the best neighbourhood.”
Nash said the warm welcome they have received from neighbourhood business owners has been very important during this career transition.
“When you think about starting your own business, you think you’d lose that kind of coworker relationship. But now we get it from neighbouring business owners,” said Nash. “A lot of them came by in the first month and introduced themselves, chatted with us, bought us presents and bought things in the store, to show their support and kind of welcome us.”
Nash said what sets Curious Times Collective apart is its curation and the care that goes into every item found.
“Every single item is found by us, cleaned by us. A lot of them are repaired,” said Nash. “I think ultimately what we wanted to provide for this space was good quality, unique and hard-to-find items that are also ready for people to take home and use. We’re not a thrift store where you might find something that has a hole in it and smells like cigarettes.”
The owners pride themselves on contributing to sustainable shopping by repairing items that have minor damage and offering a financial “middle ground” between pricey vintage boutiques and rummage-bin thrifts.
Their selection encompasses everything from quirky mid-century lamps rescued from a ‘60s Toronto pizzeria to rare European trinkets and even items that hold personal significance.
“My grandparents used to own a music box store in the ‘90s called Mr. Music Box, in Queens Key in Toronto,” said Nash. “My grandfather has a lot of different music boxes he’s been holding onto for years, and with moving and downsizing we have some of those.”
Beyond aesthetics, the shop is designed as a space for storytelling, sustainability, and self-expression – a stark counterpoint to the mass retail beige monoculture.
“We believe in highlighting and amplifying the value of second-hand items,” said Nash. “They’re better quality, the design is more interesting…Older objects could even let customers learn about a bit of world history through a small ceramic figurine of a duck.”