Feilding Antiques Shop For Art And Craft
A Manawatū woman with an eye for antiques has opened her first store at age 55, showing it is never too late to find a new passion or career.
Her Feilding antiques shop, Qwerky Corner, opened its doors on January 21 and features work by New Zealand and international artists, from potter Brendan Adams to photographer Annie Leibovitz.
Suzanne Keppel began buying and selling antiques in her early 40s. Until then she had been working in corporate marketing, a far cry from busy and competitive auction houses, and certainly a Feilding antiques shop.
“I got into it because I’d bought a house that needed refurbishing, but I didn’t think I had enough knowledge, so I enrolled in an interior design course,” she said.
By that stage she already had a degree in law and philosophy, and was looking for something she could do that didn’t chain her to an office.
What began as an interest grew into three years of study.
“I just came alive when talking about the art and objects side of interior design, like rugs, glass pieces, all of that,” she said. “I just loved it. I started going to second-hand shops, then to some lower-end auction houses.”
Her studies led her to volunteer in private and public art galleries, growing her knowledge.
Anything she bought was to sell on, seeing how easy it could be if she mastered the art of online trading platforms such as Trade Me.
“Slowly I started going to more high-end market auctions. I’ll still buy things that I can sell for $15, but the most expensive thing I own is worth $10,000.
“I’ve been told I probably try to cater for too many people, but I don’t care, so long as someone likes it.”
Before having a shop, she would store pieces at her home. It meant her children sometimes grew attached to things and would ask her to keep them.
“But I feel satisfied enjoying it for a short time, and knowing the next person might enjoy it forever, or for however long they keep it.”
Keppel spent some of her childhood in Tangimoana, a beachside town in Manawatū, just over 20 minutes from Feilding. She remembered going to Feilding for ballet lessons or to the shops, so when her son told her he was moving there, she started looking for a building she could buy, too.
She found 125 Manchester Street, formerly Beth’s Books. She has since renovated it with partner and professional painter Terry.
She said the hardest part about setting up Qwerky Corner was putting a limit on how much was displayed, as she wanted it to look more like an art gallery than a second-hand shop.
For more details about Feilding antiques shop click here https://qwerkycorner.co.nz/.
