Seacliff House Productions is home to treasures you never knew you needed until it’s discovered you simply couldn’t possibly live without that perfect find

It doesn’t matter if it’s a tea cup, a spinning wheel, or that one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry – if you’re looking for it, chances are good you’ll find it as Seacliff house in Brigus. On the day we visit – yet another glorious sunshine filled day in Newfoundland during Come Home 2022 – tourists and locals wander about. 

Store owner/artist/antique enthusiast Werner Koehler greets potential customers with “anything special you’d be interested in finding today? Anything you collect?” I decided to wander and discover all kinds of Newfoundland themed items, from artwork to ship’s wheels.

fitting perfectly

Antiques, collectibles, canvas art, books, crafts, jewelry, andwso many one of a kind items. There’s collectibles from war times, and items that speak to our heritage in the fishery. It really is an unbelievable collection. Koehler beams.

“In many stores, people zip by at one hundred miles an hour Here? Everybody walks in and they take their time,” he said. Brigus is just one of those areas of the province where strolling and taking one’s time to enjoy it and take it all in is a must, he added. Seacliff House fits perfectly into the landscape.

Koehler, who is Ontario born, shared that it’s his wife’s Newfoundland heritage that brought them to the island. “We settled in right away. It’s home. We love it here and for someone interested in antiques and collectibles, this place has some amazing history,” he said. We ask if there’s one item that’s more popular than any other. He laughs. “Flip toasters. It’s a very unusual item. People like one sided toast in Newfoundland apparently. We try to provide what the people want.”

It’s been a “steady and strong summer,” he said. “We’ve had people from all over the world. It’s really been a come home year, but visitors are from everywhere. Australia, New Zealand. It’s been fun.” 

Magnets, photographs, fishing tackle boxes, license plates: it’s all there. “It’s an eclectic collection. A lot of the items are Newfoundland themed. These are my prints, by the way, and they are all of the amazing spots around here.”

‘indulge your passion’

Many who come into the store have no clue what it is they want, but when they find ‘it’, the joy on their face is incredible, he said. “Coming here not knowing what you want and then leaving with something you couldn’t live without is the best kind of thing. It’s an ‘I’ll know when I see it’ thing. They look around and then it’s like this smile spreads when they see that one thing they never knew they wanted until they find it here.”

Visitors are often “gobsmacked” he said, smiling. “I actually have a lot of people say that. They only get just inside the door and they go, ‘I’m already gobsmacked.’”

Kerosene lanterns. Antique lamps. An old-fashioned fisherman’s couch in beautiful condition, mummers, fairies and mermaids. “If it’s possible that something could be someone’s special one of a kind item, then it’s there to be found,” he shared proudly as we toured the store. Koehler leaves to greet the next group of tourists who wander in. He smiles and welcomes them with; “I’m sure you can find an item to indulge your passion and there’s something for anybody’s price point.”   

Seacliff House Productions – an Antique Store – is closed Tuesdays but open every other day from 10am-4pm. They are located at 20 Harbour Dr., Brigus. Follow at @seacliffhouseproductions· Antique Store or visit them on Facebook