Antique store draws shoppers to Gaines

Posted 30 January 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Sue Cook – The Old Goat’s sign by the edge of the road features a well-dressed goat smoking a pipe and wearing a monocle.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

GAINES – Walking into The Old Goat is like stepping into a cozy country home. Tarama Vacanti, the owner of the store, greets you at the door with a smile and happily lets you explore. The store is made of three rooms full of antiques and vintage items, as well as some country crafts.

The Old Goat has a diverse selection. You can find everything from antique signs to sewing machines, lanterns to luggage, doorknobs to decorations, and many other items.

Vacanti started her business from her house by selling out of her garage and through eBay for 15 years. She finally decided to open a store in Gaines four months ago and has found a huge outpouring of interest in her business.

“The people here are awesome,” she said. “Everyone is very supportive. This is a lot of fun.”

Her husband Eddie helps create some of the store’s most popular items: recycled and repurposed furniture. The items, such as benches and cabinets, are usually made from wood that was sourced from barns and 1800s homes.

The front room of the shop offers a mixture of antique and recycled-wood furniture.

Many of The Old Goat’s customers are repeats and they come from Canada to Canandaigua. Some of them come in seeking specific items. Vacanti commented that some people come in to see what she has stocked for silver items, while another woman comes in looking for old-fashioned baby clothing.

The store has new items about twice a week, and Vacanti said her family brings her their finds all the time. She tries to make sure every time a customer comes in that they see something different.

Vacanti also said that if someone is looking for a specific item and she doesn’t have it, she will put it on a list of what to look for during buying trips.

The back room is a showcase for many smaller items such as antique toys and housewares.

The Old Goat, located at 14069 Ridge Rd. West, is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, call (585) 298-6167 or visit the business’s Facebook page by clicking here.