Weaving through racks of clothing, a wedding dress, porcelain dolls, old furniture and vintage glass decorations, you’ll stumble upon the owner’s favourite item currently up for sale at Anything and Everything Vintage Boutique: an archaic-looking pram made for carrying dolls.
“It’s really old and old-fashioned. It has its own character, it’s something they don’t make anymore,” said Miriam Flikinger, owner of the store.
The pram is made with an old metal frame, which is surprisingly rust-free. A tired-looking cushion lays flat in the carriage and a piece of torn pink fabric acts as the visor for the carrier.
After seeing the pram posted on Kijiji, Flikinger drove out to a farm 50 km outside of St. Albert to get it.
Most of the items in her store are from farms, estate sales, auctions and online hunting. She even has a friend who participates in bidding wars for storage containers who’ll call her up if he finds anything interesting.
None of the items have been appraised. Flikinger instead sells it at a higher price that she buys it for, making sure the cost is reasonable. One Chinese jewelry box she has, for example, is selling in the store for $125. On EBay that item is selling for $176.
“I love to sell, I love to create,” she said. “It’s kind of in my blood.”
While it’s normally advised against judging a book by its cover, the name of this store is exactly what you’ll find inside: anything and everything.
You can even find a few stones that promise healing powers, according to one resident who lives just down the street from the boutique.
When Ronda Nisby saw Anything and Everything Vintage Boutique in the shopping strip in Grandin, she knew she had to check it out. She ended up leaving with a few healing stones and crystals in arm, and has since become a loyal customer of the shop.
“The first day that she opened I was waiting to get in, it looked so interesting,” she said. “The minute you walk in here the atmosphere is so calm and joyful.”
Whirlwind of wonder
When you first enter the store, you have to give yourself a minute to adjust. Each wall features different items that seemingly don’t belong together. A porcelain doll sits on a purple chair close to a leopard-print lamp. Next to the lamp stands a grandfather clock and an interesting pair of patterned boots.The smell of incense wafts through the store. Racks of clothing sit in the middle of the room, and rows of artifacts sit on shelves. There’s even an old tire pump and a few vintage black vases sitting in a back room.
“I have toys, I have clothing, I have kitchen stuff, I have antique stuff, energy stuff, stones, rocks you name it,” she said with a laugh.
Some of the items have been retouched by Flikinger, who likes to recycle and reuse materials. An interior decorator on the side, she chose to paint the store's inside walls purple and green.
“I just love those colours, I wanted it to be nice and bright,” she said. “I said it just has to stand out so when someone comes in, it’ll different than anywhere else.”
The spark that started the business came from her own personal passion.
As an interior designer Flikinger frequently changed the way her home looked. Tailoring to her unique taste, she often had interesting items decorating her house. With a change in design, it meant she had to find a way to get rid of stuff.
“I had lots of garage sales and my neighbours were like ‘Miriam you should open a store’,” she explained.
When it comes to a central theme of the eclectic store, Flikinger said she wanted it to reflect Good Witch, a fantasy TV movie series. The show follows a widowed mother, who is a witch, and her teenage daughter as they try to blend into their community.
Flikinger talks a lot about energy and some of her healing products as she walks throughout the store. In the back room sits a round table, where people can even come for a tarot card reading.
By booking an appointment they can meet with Reiki master Trina Dawn, who will do a reading or perform hypnosis.
The business, located at 76 Grosvenor Blvd., is open Tuesday to Friday noon to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
