Goa is home to many fanatics of antiques. A variety of antique pieces can be seen in stores these days. Pieces like roosters, saluting soldados, blue and white Portuguese crockery, and more are an emotion for
Goans. These pieces take this well-preserved
Goan heritage abroad as well. While being enthralled with these, posing the question of whether Goa has a bright future in the antique
business is very important.
Goa – An ideal location for antiques
Gani Khan, an antique furniture store owner in Mapusa, said, “Goa is an ideal location for antique sale as it is one of the hottest tourist destinations of India.” He also added, “The antique business is like a casino; sometimes you win, and other times you lose.” Antiques can go out of business for perhaps three months and then later on make a sale worth those three months of income in a single sale. According to him, customer satisfaction and trust are crucial. Ensuring that these two aspects are in place will work wonders for your business. He was keen to add that, “With more passionate people entering the Goan antique market, it has the potential to offer more and grow into something big.”
Not raining gold and silver at times
Many antique dealers agree that this line of business is highly lucrative when you have a genuine interest and passion for antiques. Nonetheless, it is not always a rain of gold and silver. M S Khan, a local dealer of antiques in Parra, said, “I have been in this business for forty years, and at times you won’t even have money to buy clothes.” He also added that if it’s peak season monthly on average he can earn Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. Peak season is when there are huge tourist crowds. Selling authentic and quality products is the key.
Antiques in hospitality industry
These vintage finds have become indispensable for the hospitality industry as well. A few consumers, who were hotel management interns, said, “We buy different kinds of antique pieces regularly to use as interior decorations for our events.” Hotels, Guest houses and more are loyal customers of many antiques. They use these as exterior and interior décor pieces.
Bright future for antiques
Yoshva Lobo, owner of a vintage crockery store in Parra, said, “In 2021, we had only one store and in 2022, we started an adjacent store and last year, we acquired another store as well.” According to him, this business can be highly lucrative when you have good connections and networks. The store owner further added that many clients fly in from different cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai and more to buy their antiques. Customer satisfaction, quality, and variety of products offered are essential to stay relevant in this business, Yoshuva stated. They are delighted that their business is doing well now and going forward they are interested in expanding.
Antique lover turned entrepreneur
A few passionate antique collectors have recently become entrepreneurs in the same field. Sydney, one such owner of an antique store, in Parra, said, “The business is actually quite good, but for the last four months, it has been down.” This antique lover gets most of his stock from dealer networks in Goa and Mumbai. One has to be vigilant about the sources of their antique supply. Doing business with trusted dealers is core. He further stated, “Antiques are costly and hard to maintain which keeps many locals away from them.” From this store, he can earn between Rs 30,000 to Rs 5 lakh monthly, depending on whether he lands a mega sale or not.
Combining immense passion with a sharp eye for business and a huge chunk of patience can drive this line of business to success. Possessing adequate knowledge about antiques, their authenticity, sources, supply, and market value will also come in handy.