Vintage and antiques emporium Dirty Janes has opened its doors to the Canberra market, selling a range of wares from vintage jewellery to furniture and art.
Despite opening in an uncertain time for businesses across the country and the world, owner Jane Crowley said she is determined to continue to support her stallholders.
โThis virus, it has the potential to really crush our spirit,โ she said.
โAnd we canโt let that happen, and Iโm not going out there to flaunt with danger or anything like that, but Iโm looking at these 90 stallholders, who are all independent businesses in here, and just going โthey have worked so hard for this; theyโve got to be given a chance to earn an income.โ
Dirty Janesโ cafรฉ, Billy Ts, is offering takeaway only, and the entire cafรฉ and retail teams are abiding by ACT Health guidelines.
โWeโre desperately trying to adhere to what the government says, where all the staff have been briefed on cleaning everything and keeping social distancing,โ Jane said.
โWeโve got a security guard coming for the [opening] weekend.
โIt goes against my natural instinct; I want people to come, but now I want only a certain percentage to come and the rest to stay at home.โ
Jane has expanded her popular business from Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands to open a second location, here in Canberra, and has transformed an ex-geological survey building into a mecca for vintage wares, with upcycling and sustainability at the heart of the business.
โThe majority, 90%, of the stock in here is recycled or upcycled or second-hand in some shape or form, which makes it so fabulous,โ she said.
โSomeone once described our business as โwe swim against the tide of mass productionโ, and I really like that.โ
Dirty Janes is open for business at 80 Collie Street in Fyshwick. Check out whatโs on offer via their Instagram @dirtyjanes_canberra
