Take Time takes over rejuvenated former Macondo Books location

An old favourite haunt in Downtown Guelph has a new look and a new tenant.

Take Time, a vintage clothing store selling hand-picked vintage and "upcycled" clothes has moved into the home of the former Macondo Books at 18 Wilson St., just across the road from City Hall.

Upcycled clothing is old clothing that has been updated with alterations.

"Macondo was a treasure hunt too, although a bit more of a winding treasure hunt," said Take Time's Stephanie Traplin, who has partnered with Natalie Boustead to open at the new location.

Traplin and Boustead met through their mutual involvement in buying and selling vintage clothes, mostly in the Toronto area.

"We were both doing upcycled clothing and doing festivals and craft shows together at the beginning," Boustead said.

Traplin is from Guelph, Boustead, a Pickering native, moved here a year ago when her partner came here to study at the University of Guelph.

Take Time was located on the second floor of a Carden Street location, something Traplin said was always a temporary solution.

"I was waiting for the right space to come up," Traplin said. "This space came up around Thanksgiving and I talked to my family, spoke to Natalie and we decided to just jump on the opportunity and take the plunge into a higher end retail space."

Macondo Books was an iconic Downtown Guelph business, operating in that location for 30 years before closing almost three years ago.

The building was purchased by local design and build firm The Chandler Company where Mark Lough has done a stellar job of renovating the property while maintaining its historical feel.

Bare brick walls, stone repurposed from the Petrie Building project around the corner, repurposed wooden floorboards from a high school gymnasium and even some of the original beams are at play in the location.

Both said the popularity of vintage and upcycled clothing is on the upswing.

"I think it's a growing trend. People are interested in doing more select boutique buying of vintage clothing ... it's one of those things that hits a lot of different interests for people," Boustead said.

Supporting local businesses, supporting women in business and supporting the environmental aspect of recycled clothing all come in to play, Boustead said.

Traplin and Boustead are also proud of the fact that all the businesses on that block of Wilson Street are owned by women.

"That's pretty cool," Boustead says.

Take Time joins a group of downtown vintage stores, with Meow! and Backbone on Carden Street and Wild Rose on Macdonell Street.

Traplin and Boustead are also using the space to showcase the creations of local artists and said the space will also host small events. Last Saturday 75 people stopped in for the store's official launch party.

Take Time is open seven days a week from 12 to 6 p.m. Saturdays they open at 11 a.m.