Village Squire, 1977-05, Page 4The Seips moved to Monkton because they fell in love with this old schoolhouse.
The Perth county village of Monkton has one of the largest
antique stores in the area today because years ago a
Kitchener family fell in love with an old schoolhouse.
Diane Seip remembers how she and her husband bought
the old public school in the village at the time when country
schools were being auctioned off because of the consolidation
program. They bought the large school as a home and the
present business came as an afterthought. The building was a
challenge, she recalls. There was nothing but big rooms:
three school rooms and two large playrooms in the basement.
It was all that room that eventually led to the starting of the
antique shop, Diane recalls. Her husband Ralph continued in
the real estate business for some time after they moved to
Monkton. The couple had always been interested in antiques.
It seemed natural when they began to think of ways of using
all the extra space in the building and when Diane began to
want something to do that they should hit on the idea of an
antique shop.
And so the House of Glass started, a hobby that soon
became a full-time job. The shop started out small, just a few
things .iiey had from their own collection and whatever
interesting they could buy to add to the stock. After a while,
Diane says, once people get to know you're in business, most
of the stock comes to you from people who are interested in
selling.
Once upon a time rural auctions were a big source of stock
for antique dealers but no longer. She hasn't been to an
auction for years, Diane says because the prices have become
ridiculous. People get carried away at auctions, she says, and
often pay far more than a piece is worth. She's seen people
come into the shop and get a bad surprise when they find that
2, VILLAGE SQUIRE/MAY 1977.
They fell in love
with a schoolhouse...
and ended up with a business
An interesting table setting in a corner of The House of Glass.