Our daughter, Alyx, flew out of the nest about a month ago. She is renting a townhouse with a couple of friends and working fulltime hours at Belleville's Pizza Hut. I have seen her a couple of times and spoken with her a few times on the phone, but I was trying hard to give her some space so she could get her independent feet on the ground. I was really surprised (and very excited!!) when she told me that she wanted to spend a day "hanging with me!!". So last Thursday we got together.
First off we headed to Stirling to visit my friend, Dee's, store, "Simply Eclectic". I'll be posting about her store in a few days.
Across the street from Simply Eclectic is a bakery that acquaintances of ours opened a year ago. It is called "Not Just Desserts". Daily they have fresh baked breads and pastries, homemade chocolates (their Cranberry Biscotti Bark is 2die4!!!!) and they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a quaint eating area. We'll be going back to try some items on their menu!! I'll post about this experience later also.
We were getting pretty hungry after sampling the dark chocolate cranberry biscotti bark, so we headed back into Bellevile for lunch at The Red Lion. I had been there the previous week with my friend, Wendy, and had eaten the chicken fingers and fries and WOW!!!!! they were sooo delicious!!! They were hot and tasty and my platter was filled!!!! So we returned to have lunch because Alyx likes chicken fingers, too! We were not disappointed and our bartender/waitress, Christine, was friendly and wonderful also!!
Finally, with our bellies full, we drove around the corner and up the street to my friend, Mike's store. I don't know how many years Mike has been in business in Belleville, but I am thinking that it must be close to twenty years! I have a wardrobe that I bought out of his warehouse (the old St. Vincent de Paul Store on Coleman St.) when the kids were little and they are now 25 and 22, so that's why I am thinking that "Funk & Gruven" has been open for that many years.
Funk & Gruven A-Z is located at
52 Bridge Street East
in downtown
Belleville, Ontario, Canada.
Their phone number is 613-968-5612
Their website is here:
I parked across the street from the store and as we approached it my daughter, Alyx, exclaimed, "OH MY GOD!!!!! I love that chair!!!!! She was talking about a very yellow, Retro, bucket-like chair that was sitting outside the store. I told her, "There are actually two of them!!!" She had to try them on.....and.....they fit!!!! LOL!!
The store is in a brick Victorian building and it just oozes vintage charm!!
When the weather is favourable, Mike has a selection of furniture on the sidewalk. When I am in Belleville I will drive by Funk & Gruven at least twice, just to get a fix on the eye-candy that is waiting to be purchased and taken to a new home. Often I am forced to find a parking spot and take a closer look at Mike's new inventory!
Inside the door is this gorgeous vintage naugahyde club chair from the 1930's. The cushions are removeable and are covered in a fine silk tapestry fabric. The fabric is a little worn, but it has that shabbyfabulous patina that is so much loved by us Shabby Chic, Romantic Cottage chickies!!! Come to think of it, it would look great in a Paris Apartment decor as well!!!
Mike has an excellent selection of vintage and antique art ranging in styles from Victorian, to Retro/Eames era to Traditional to Modern.
The mirrors he has hanging are beautiful. Again, he has a varied selection of styles of these as well.
The store is full of wonderful pieces of antique and vintage furniture in various woods, styles and finishes. On the table tops and dresser and buffet surfaces he has arranged an ever changing assortment of "objets d'art", lamps, vases, glassware and knick-knacks.
And suspended from the ceiling are EXQUISITE chandeliers, pendant lights, and vintage and antique hanging lights.
A very French Country Rooster lamp!!! awaits you on a lovely handpainted table.
Alyx "lurves" these 1950's aluminum and turquoise plastic spice jars. She really grooves on mid-century stuff!!! (I don't know where she came from!!!) "To each his own" I guess!!! LOL!!
Another chandy!
Antique English brass candlesticks and a collection of vintage stemmed glasses!
More gorgeous lighting!!
I wish I had room for this lovely walnut server!
Do you see the needlepoint covered footstool underneath? Yummy!!
Ya gotta take the time to look in all the nooks and crannies in Mike's store. I am sure you will find something that you cannot live without!!
Alyx on the left and Mike on the right. Vintage lamps and lights on the shelf above!
See the French pine dining chair in the foreground? (It's a little left of the centre) It is part of an excellent French Country dining set. It would look magnificent in a Provencale (thingy under the c to soften the sound) kitchen or dining room. Mr Rooster lamp would look great in this decor, too!!!
Hello Michael!!!
I love your store!!!
Now ladies and gentlemen hold onto your hats! I am about to present a most magnificent brass and crystal delicacy.
Voila!
An vintage French crystal chandelier!! It is just dripping with sparkling jewels! It is hidden in the back of the store. Perhaps you should go and check it out before Mike moves it to one of the front windows of the store.
More lovely light fixtures and another chandelier!
Hmmmm..........what is that hanging on the support beam! It's a leather whip!!! An eclectic Christmas present to buy for that kinky friend of yours!!! You supply the stiletto heels! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!!! LMAO!!
Alyx liked this Morrish/Moroccan style light fixture. It would look great in a Gothic decor as well!
An antique glass fire extinguisher and a vintage brass sconce.
Oh! Be still my beating heart!!! This mirror is a stunner!! It is very large, about four feet tall, I think.
It would be quite a statement piece in a front hall or stairway. It goes fabulously with the French Crystal Chandelier I felt weak-in-the-knees for!!
In the middle of the next picture you will see a large ceiling light fixture with a brass and glass pineapple featured in the centre of the light. It would look excellent hung above the French Country dining set.
This is a darling handpainted pale blue with white accent Bombay Chest. It is the perfect size for a bedside table or end table in a small livingroom. It looks like a piece of Wedgwood jasperware. It would look marvelous in my livingroom! (BUT....I don't have any room for it!!! Sigh!)
The coffee table featured in the picture below would be great for those people who decorate with a Mid-century or Hollywood Regency theme. It's a classic! On top you will find a selction of vintage barware.
There are shelves full of wonderful collectables. Mike even has a display of vintage jewellry, compacts and small collectable dodads.
This coming Friday evening December 10th, 2010 between 5 and 9 pm Mike is hosting a
Christmas Open House at his store.
Here is the invitation!
Tim and I are going!
Will we see you there?!!!
I hope you have enjoyed this virtual tour of Funk & Gruven A-Z. Belleville is located "smack-dab-in-the-middle" between Toronto and Ottawa. It is a two hour drive from either of these large Ontario cities. I can assure you that it is worth your while to make a trip and check out the wonderful and ever-changing inventory in Mike's store. Like he says, "Come in...Have a good look!"
Take care my blogging friends!!
I'll be back later this week to feature my friend, Dee's store, Simply Eclectic" in all it's Christmas splendor!!
Much love and many warm hugs, Laura
