Have you ever had one of those dreams where there are rooms and rooms of fabulous old things, everything you’ve ever possibly wanted and they’re all terribly cheap? I call them “heaven” dreams and I have them all the time – but I’ve never seen anything real that comes close to the dream. Until now!
I was recently in Berrima, Southern Highlands NSW and on a friend’s recommendation, paid them a visit. Of course, being a real business and not a dream, the prices aren’t really 20c each, but imagine room after room of all kinds of beautiful old things, grouped together in quantity – old cutlery, crockery, coloured glass vases, hand-painted china, tortoiseshell plastic knitting needles….buckles, buttons, old linen hand embroidered dress collars….and the largest collection of vintage hand made quilts I’ve ever seen.
A rack of Victorian silk gowns, babies shoes from the turn of the 20th century….silk scarves, doileys, 1920s childrens adventure books, old floral fabrics by the truck load….I started to take pics for you but my camera ran out of battery before I even got onto the 1930s silk petticoats and 1950s aprons. You’ll just have to go and see them for yourselves.
Click on the photos to get a sense of the incredible amount of the historic wealth – here’s Carina first up, the wonderful woman who has brought all of this together.
You’ll find this amazing shop at The Market Place, Berrima, phone (02) 4877 1488
RIP Carina Cox – mentor, inspiration & friend.
Peppergreen will be forever in our hearts xxxx
Monique Germon
Monique – I’m shocked to hear this. Peppergreen was (is?) a very special place. Thank you for letting me know about Carina.
I have been visiting this Antique shop for many years. I loved spending time browsing and often bought china. I haven’t been to Berrima for a couple of years but went yesterday. Went straight to the shop and could not believe that it had closed. Very sad to see it standing empty and still. I had to try to find out what had happened and saw this on the internet. I gather that the owner has died. When did this wonderful place close? Berrima will not be the same …. the building looks so forlorn and I am sad.
Chris, indeed it has closed – as Monique mentions above, Carina passed away in 2011. Her wonderful shop was closed and the contents sold off. It was a magical place, full of treasures.
Hello Nicole
Thanks so much for your reply. I didn’t know any of the history of the owner or shop ….just really loved the place and expected it to be there always… still can’t believe seeing the padlock on the door yesterday. Not sure when I last visited but thought it could not be longer than 2011 ….I did not know that the owner was ill. Sad to hear that she has passed away. It would have been so very sad to have emptied the place. What a shame that the business could not be carried on. I will miss it immensely as will many other I suspect.
Peppergreen closed ? How absolutely tragic that the owner has passed away. Each time we travelled from Qld to Tas., we always made a point of stying in Berrima. Such a lovely little piece of history and the closing of Peppergreen will certainly have changed the “vibe” of this special little historic township. Tragic and very sad !!
I miss Peppergreen too, Roz: whenever I’m in the Southern Highlands I would visit and now it’s gone but at least we have our lovely memories.