Alley Way New and Used Furniture

by SimpsonS (subscribe)

Restoring second-hand furniture is a passion of mine. Unfortunately, I don't always have the time to indulge in my passion, but that doesn't stop me from browsing through any second-hand furniture shops I might spy on my travels. My partner thinks I have a built-in homing beacon for these little places.



We have just moved to Waiuku, a small town, south of Auckland. It's mostly farming country. The town itself is small, so imagine my delight when, on a rather mundane mission to buy food at New World, I spied a tiny second-hand shop across the parking lot.

All thoughts of food shopping were swept from my mind, and my partner was left in a cloud of dust, in my bid to make my way over there as quickly as I could.



I was in Second-Hand-Furniture-Heaven. I took a deep breath. All second-hand furniture shops have a unique smell of old leather, wood lacquer and furniture polish. It's wonderful.



I just glanced over the new stuff as it holds no interest for me, and spied four beautiful 'medieval' wood and leather dining chairs right at the back of the store. I wound my way through the shop, stopping every now and then to run my hands over beautiful, glass-fronted display cabinets and to open felt-lined cutlery drawers. I finally arrived at the four, glorious chairs. They were even more beautiful up close.



As I picked one up to examine it, I heard a voice at my shoulder, "No buying!" I turned around to find my partner had 'snuck up' on me. I rolled my eyes at him and sighed heavily. I knew I couldn't buy anything. Our worldly possessions were still in transit and we didn't have the room (or the tools) for me to start my restorations again.



A word of advice, if you do find that perfect, antique piece you have been looking for, don't delay in buying it, as you will be disappointed when you next visit and find some other savvy buyer has taken it away. Ask the owners if you can put down a deposit on it until you have organised delivery. Or better still, ask them if they can deliver for you. They have a great, big delivery van, worthy of delivering your treasures.



They do sell new furniture - tall-boys, chests of drawers and beds, to name a few. But, I will always vote for the pre-loved articles, where a good polish or scrub down and some paint, transforms a sad, tired looking piece of furniture into a shining gem, which has pride of place in your home.



I was a very sad, little possum leaving the store, but once we have the space and my tools have arrived, I will definitely be paying the Alley Way a visit to choose and buy a little treasure to take home, where it will be buffed, polished and painted, to make it uniquely mine.



Alley Way is located at 31D Bowen Street Waiuku, 2123 (next to Mitre10)
Opening hours are: Mon-Fri: 09:30 - 16:30 and Sat: 09:30 - 12:30

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Why? Great second-hand furniture

When: Mon to Fri 9.30am to 4.30 pm Sat Morning

Phone: 09 235 7715

Where: 31D Bowen Street, Waiuku

Cost: Reasonably priced furniture