Entering the Merchant Antiques shop in Inverness is like stepping through a portal into the past.
Located on Greig Street, it opened 12 years ago and is now the only antique shop left in the Highland capital.
Owner Moira Meldrum told The P&J she and husband Colin “have always been interested in antiques.”
Mrs Meldrum was running a cafe and working “far too many hours” when she decided it was time to fulfil her dream.
She explained: “We were soon to have grandchildren and wanted a little bit more time with them.
“We kept coming past here and seeing the building was still empty, so we just went ahead and decided to open the shop because that’s our passion.”
Now the couple’s lives consist of going to auctions, people’s homes and doing house clearances to find lost “treasures.”
She said the best thing about her job is “going and finding items every day.”
Both floors at the Inverness store are packed with thousands of antiques, while the couple also keeps three containers full of stock.
“You don’t know what you’re going to find. As my husband says, it’s like Christmas every day,” she said with a smile.
The Merchant: Around 5 people a year propose at Inverness antique shop
There is something rather magical about the Merchant that leaves you fascinated as soon as you enter the store.
The shop even seems to cast a particularly strong spell on some couples.
Mrs Meldrum told us she sees between four and five proposals a year.
“I just have some nice rings. I’m always buying, always, always buying lots of rings,” she said.
The owner explained that although it is not often possible to do so, she likes to find out about their history and who used to wear them.
The 59-year-old said she has already had three proposals this year.
She said: A few months ago, an American couple came in and he just got an engagement ring, went down on one knee and proposed straight away.
“Another Dutch couple came in, picked their ring, and then I said ‘congratulations’.
“He then said, ‘Oh, not yet, I have to go and ask for her father’s permission.’
“I had an English couple in last week. It was slightly different because she bought the engagement ring, she’s going to propose to him, but she’ll be wearing the ring herself.
“She didn’t buy him a ring. She bought herself a ring.”
No negotiation policy
Haggling is not an uncommon practice in antique shops.
However, Mrs Meldrum has a reputation for being quite tough.
She explained: “I’m quite firm, because I’ve been on the Antiques Road Trip three times and I find that ever since I was on that, people have been quite cheeky.
“They come in and take something up to the counter at £60 and say, I’ll give you 20 for it.
“So, I got really fed up with it. I just decided my prices are good anyway, I don’t overprice just to give a discount, which a lot of antique dealers do.
“I would rather just offer people a fair price.”
Most interesting item at the Merchant
Mrs Meldrum said she has had “so many” great items over the year.
However, she believes the “most interesting and valuable” was a ceramic ice bucket from the 19th Century.
She and her husband got it as part of a container they bought in Inverness.
She said: “It was absolutely stunning. It was a huge, big ice bucket.
“It was all intricately carved and had a separate ceramic piece inside.
“I sold it for £2,000.”
What would Merchant Antiques owner improve about Inverness?
Mrs Meldrum explained she has “a mix” of clients, both older and younger as well as locals and tourists.
“It has to be mixed because if I just relied on tourists, I wouldn’t be here after 12 years,” she said.
Born and bred in Inverness, the businesswoman insists the Highland capital has been “a good city” to run a business.
She describes the majority of people in the city as “nice and friendly.”
When asked what the worst thing about Inverness is, she replied: “The internet. It has ruined all the shops that are closing in the town.”
“I don’t go into town anymore because there’s nothing to go in for.”
Mrs Meldrum added she would like to “go back to traditional ways.”
She concluded: “Have lots more small shops. Get rid of the majority of the big supermarkets.
“Go back to the butcher, the baker, the fishmonger.
“We have a choice of one of each whereas when I was growing up, in the Victorian Market, there were three butchers and two or three fish shops.
“There’s just not enough choice anymore.”
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