Some of our readership may not be aware that Houghton Safety and Security’s very own Gordon Arber is also a small business owner. He and his wife Debbie own Delectable Collectables, formerly The Old Garage next to the firehall in Angelica on West Main Street.
“I’ve been dealing in antiques and collectibles for at least 30 years,” Arber said. “I just love it.” Delectable Collectables offers a diverse selection of glassware, furniture, comics, toys, primitives, records, jewelry and art. The inventory is constantly changing.
“I always wanted to have my own co-op, and then this building was available in Angelica, so we tried it on a rent to own basis,” said Arber. This is their fourth year owning the business, and he and his wife were able to buy the building last year.
Delectable Collectables has around 25 vendors that rent space, and last year they were able to purchase 20 new display cases. They rent the display cases to vendors, and vendors can also pay for space in the store by the square foot. “Many of my vendors have sales periodically,” Gordon said.
I have had the opportunity to visit Delectable Collectables myself, and my favorite part of the trip was the $1 grab bag. After spending an hour browsing in the shop, it felt silly to leave with nothing, and this was a cheap but unique option.
Each grab bag is a surprise; after purchase you can open it and see what little treasures you are coming away with. My favorites were an old pin, a tiny address book, and a diva tattoo. It was exciting to discover what was in my grab bag!
Delectable Collectables is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. year round. “Like” their page on Facebook, and stop by the shop next time you are in Angelica to support a community member and a local family-owned business. As Arber said, “It’s a fun place just to come and browse and go down memory lane.”
