With the Antique Barn in Chemainus now closed, building owner Jim Shockey says upgrades are underway to prepare the property for its next chapter.
“Plans are underway for a major clean-up both inside and out, and some much needed TLC, like a new roof,” read a statement from Shockey’s office. “We have nothing in ink regarding new tenants but the sooner we can get these improvements finished the sooner we can get started on the future plans for this iconic building. Stay tuned.”
Shockey is a Canadian television producer, big game hunter and outfitter, and the owner of the Hand of Man Museum in Maple Bay, which showcases his private collection of natural history specimens, Indigenous art and cultural artifacts.
The red barn at the corner of Henry Road and the Trans-Canada Highway has long been a landmark for travellers and a hub for antique collectors and vendors. Its most recent tenant, Kevin Smith, closed the Antique Barn at the end of April following a rent increase and the end of a six-year lease. Smith plans to reopen the business in a new location.
The building was originally constructed in 1989 by Laurie Arbuthnot and her then-husband Mark Dawe, who operated the business as the Chemainus Valley Antique Centre. They also lived in an apartment below.
“It was pretty amazing and it was at the height of antique popularity, so we were so busy,” Arbuthnot recalled. The couple sold the business and building in 1996. Arbuthnot now owns Wild Coast Perfumery Ltd., based in Cowichan Bay.
While the building's next chapter is still to be determined, its long-standing presence in Chemainus has made it a familiar waypoint for locals and visitors alike.
