We Mean Business: Founder who closed antiques emporium after 14 years shares ‘full circle’ moment from new venture
A founder, who closed an antiques emporium after 14 years and set up a new venture to continue his dream, has shared a “full circle” observation from his time in business.
Launched in February, the Chronicle & Echo’s latest campaign hopes to help curb future business closures after a bleak start to 2026 across the town.
The twice-weekly stories spotlight what Northampton stands to lose if your favourite businesses were to close down, highlight the biggest challenges they currently face, and encourage greater support from the powers that be and the community before it is too late.
Steve Culverhouse closed the well-renowned Old Bakehouse Antique Centre back in February 2025, after almost a decade-and-a-half since he founded it alongside Kim Culverhouse.
As Steve could not let his love of quality Victorian and Edwardian furniture go, he launched Oak Wood Antiques in Oakwood Road in April – around a month on from the closure of the previous business.
Let’s take a look at what Steve had to say…
How would you summarise your experience of running an independent business in Northampton at the moment?
“I’m 68 this June and it’s gone back to when I was a young lad,” said Steve. “We used secondhand and junk shops to furnish our homes as no one had any money. We’ve done it before and we can help the younger generation through it.
“They are buying big into what we had as it’s quality but affordable. I can’t believe the age group of 25 to 35 is massively into recycled stuff and saving landfill. It’s very much full circle. There’s a 30-year cycle when fashion comes back in.
“It all comes back full circle as there’s nowhere else to go. It runs the course and starts again. It’s easy with the experience I’ve got. You buy cheap and sell cheap, that’s the name of the game. There’s no money and people are finding it hard, so we fit into the gap of affordability.
“An Edwardian set of drawers in the eighties would have been £450 and today we’re knocking them out for £150. The profit part is the same. We’re buying cheaper, selling cheaper and the middle bit hasn’t altered – it’s a win-win.
“If we can cut the cloth to help the working class survive, that’s what I’ll do. You can’t put it on your customer and they then come back. It seems we’ve taken a massive leap back as there’s no money about.”
What are the biggest challenges you currently face as a business owner, and what impact do these have on the daily running of your venture?
Steve said: “We get small business rate relief as our property is under £12,500 rateable value. We have a small unit that’s not far from Kingsley front. You could say I’m back street so the rateable value is low but I’m close to footfall.
“There’s so much you have to plan before you take on a challenge like that. People opening on the main street spend a fortune and it takes 12 years to get your money back.
“I don’t think we’ll see a decline in people shutting, but I don’t think we’ll see people take buildings on. It’s going to be rough through the next 18 months but we’ll do it.”
What do you believe Northampton stands to lose if your business were to close down? What unique offerings do you bring to the town that would be sorely missed?
“The chat,” said Steve. “That’s what we miss in society – a human being you can talk to when you want that odd piece. Online buying is a disaster when it’s not what you wanted.
“When a person walks into a shop, nobody is a time waster. People are getting back after Covid, nobody was engaging. Now it’s been long enough, I think we’re back. Everybody is prepared to say good morning and we can get it out of them.
“It’s not just a shop, it’s you. You’re selling yourself. The big profit is gone and you’ve got to be jolly, good quality and affordable. That’s bringing people back and the experience will remind them to come back.
“We’ve got to keep our chins up and make sure everyone’s happy when they leave. They will come back and buy eventually. There’s no doom and gloom here. People know quality when they see it and Northampton is a good place to be for antiques and secondhand shops. We always will survive if we stick together.”
What small actions can our readers and the Northampton community take to support your business in 2026?
“If they come in and an item is not here, always ask and talk,” said Steve. “There’s no such thing as competition. 500 yards there’s another emporium and we send people on to them. It wouldn’t matter if there were 20 antique shops around here, none of us would have the same thing.
“I’m over the moon with my first year in trade, there’s no doom and gloom here and I’ve still got the buzz.”