Canal’s End Antiques celebrates grand opening in Bristol Borough
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Whether someone’s a baby boomer seeking a favorite childhood candy from decades past, a millennial in need of some vintage clothing and jewelry pieces for their wardrobe, or a music enthusiast looking to grow that vinyl collection, they can find it all inside one of the latest shops to open in Bristol Borough — Canal’s End Antiques.
Upon walking into the store, located at 327 Mill St., customers are instantly transported to a different time period. Simultaneously cozy and retro, classics such as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by the Beach Boys float from a record player as guests browse the countless items on display.
Poised and ready to cheerfully greet shoppers is owner Susan Rachlin, a Northeast Philadelphia native who boasts a longtime love of antiques.
“My entire life, my family was antiquers. We went to every flea market and every yard sale that we could go to. It was in the blood. We just love the old stuff,” she said. “We always went camping, digging in the dirt and finding things that were there. It was my mother that took me to all the flea markets. As a teenager, I went up to Brown’s Auction in Buckingham and spent many Saturdays there.”
Even throughout a full career with the Bucks County Health Department, she never lost that early interest in antiques. So when Rachlin retired three years ago, she knew it was time to fully dedicate herself to that first love.
“I always had a dream of opening an antique store. I started working next door at Bristol Antiques and had a space in there. Then this store became available and I had the opportunity to take it, so I did,” she said. “It has been a long time coming. It feels great to have it, finally, and I’m getting some really positive feedback from the customers. It makes me proud that they like the way it turned out.”
Canal’s End Antiques opened on Feb. 5, and celebrated a grand opening on Sunday, March 31, which featured a special appearance by appraisal expert Mike Ivankovich, host of “What’s It Worth? Ask Mike the Appraiser” on WBCB.
For Rachlin, it’s a thrill to join the ranks of local staples like Bristol Antiques Market and Another Time Antiques.
“We’ve kind of started a community here in Bristol,” she said. “We’re not competition because we sell different things, and we constantly tell somebody to go next door if we know they have something they want. We share our experiences when we go to sales. We’re all friendly, we all get along. We’re hoping to keep building on it and make it a town where people will come as a destination.”
The items in Rachlin’s shop hail from a number of sources, including yard sales, estate sales, auctions, and family, friends and customers. Some of it even comes from the trash.
“People throw out a lot of really good stuff. I hate to see furniture get destroyed, so I try to save anything I can,” she said. “And the older the better because I love the old styles. They were made to last, so they are still lasting.”
With each piece received or discovered, Rachlin does her due diligence to learn as much history on it as possible, asking the opinions of amateur specialists, posting photos on eBay, and consulting various Facebook groups.
“There’s always somebody out there who knows,” she said. “It’s just fun. I do a lot of research. Last night, I was at the Historic Langhorne Association for a talk about the Langhorne Speedway, so I learned about that. I go to every kind of meeting, library meetings, local historical things, just to hear. It’s great being in Bristol because we have our own historians here.”
The front room of Canal’s End is mostly utilized by vendors, each with their own, intricately-organized space. Displays include everything from refinished furniture, knick knacks, and ultra-rare items, such as a large, stuffed Chick-fil-A cow.
“They have their own style of what they sell,” Rachlin said. “And it evolves every day. Every day, they bring in something new.”
As customers venture farther into the shop, they’ll discover two backrooms, which are filled with what used to be Rachlin’s personal belongings. Antique lovers can comb through records, toys, tools, books and military and religious items.
“We really have a little bit of everything. It helps me clean out my basement and gives me an excuse to buy things,” she said with a laugh. “And it helps other people, too.”
If a customer is unable to find something they’re looking for, they can add it to a “wish list,” and Rachlin will personally call them if/when the item comes in.
According to Rachlin, the mission of Canal’s End is to spark a memory. And so far, it’s doing just that.
“Everybody comes in and says, ‘I had that!’ or ‘I remember that!,’” she said. “It’s the camaraderie, the friendship, the discovery. When somebody finds something they were looking for, that they remember and they tell me all their stories, that’s great. I just love talking to the people.” ••
Visit facebook.com/CanalsEndAntiques for more information and weekly Bucks County trivia.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
