Justin Lowry of On The Square Emporium on why antiques are the eco choice for your home

Every nook and cranny is stuffed with antiques, vintage, retro items and the curiouser and curiouser - there's no knowing what you might find in his Aladdin’s cave, which, of course, adds to the fun of rummaging around.

But one piece that isn’t for sale is the aforementioned two-headed taxidermied calf, which people often just visit the emporium to view.

“It was born in Scotland and only lived for a day. We've had lots of offers for it, but it's just not for sale,” says Justin, “Why not? What am I going to make on it? £500,000? I prefer to have the cow.”

On the Square Emporium is billed as ‘the most interesting shop in the country’ and it certainly lives up to the description. “I love my weird and wonderful. We're creating a true emporium, a vast shop full of a vast array of different items,” he says.

Justin Lowry grew up in Helen’s Bay, Co Down, the trajectory of his life just as fascinating as his emporium. After university and a degree in Business and Psychology, he lived in Spain, then Africa, where he had a safari business, owned the biggest Irish bar in East Africa (in Tanzania) and a hotel in Zanzibar.

But, when his father became ill some 12 years ago he started slowly but surely moving back to Northern Ireland, where he met Jill O’Neill, founder of upcycling specialists, ReFound, whom he later married and with whom he has two young sons.

The name, ‘On the Square’, references an old masonic term meaning honesty, fairness, and uprightness.

“If something’s ‘on the square’ it's correct and above board,” says Justin.

The name also fitted nicely with the company’s first Waring Street premises, which were on the corner of three Belfast squares.

Justin moved the business to huge, new premises on Heron road in 2016 and it’s grown exponentially to become the biggest antiques emporium and prop hire business, supplying furniture and other items to various TV shows and films (including Game of Thrones, The Fall, How to Train Your Dragon, and many more), on the island of Ireland. It also offers a restoration service.

"One of our biggest things is fitting out bars and restaurants, so long as they are period or quirky design, says Justin, “and we also do the odd specialist auction.”

The eco argument for using existing antiques and vintage furniture is irrefutable – they keep things in use and out of landfill, while reducing the need for cheap and trend-led furniture, which doesn’t tend to last as long, devours precious resources and is often hard to recycle.

Justin is passionate about antiques’ role in preserving the past while protecting the future. It’s an issue he will be addressing in an upcoming talk he’ll giving at TedxStormont later this month as he encourages people to buy more sustainable, antique pieces.

“There's nothing more eco than an antique. It's made a long time ago so there's no ecological cost in production, and if you buy locally, there’s no carbon footprint. And if it's lasted for 100 years, there’s a fair chance it will last another 100.

“If you buy a modern chest of drawers the life expectancy is somewhere between one and six years. They fall apart. Everything's covered in chipboard.

"Antique stuff has a beauty, it's made from mahogany, or walnut, or yew. It's fine craftsmanship. It's thick, heavy, solid wood, so it will last. The success of any item is to become an antique."

He adds: "I believe that anything that's built today should be built in that same ethos. It should be good, solid stuff built to last.

“The other great thing is that if you buy an antique and go to sell it, at worst, you'll get half your money back, or perhaps you’ll make double your money.”

He says the beauty of an antique, vintage or retro piece, is that it has a story and individuality.

"You can have whatever style suits. You can go all out maximalist Victorian, that’s what I like, lots of stuff, or you can go more sparse with Art Deco.

“An antique is a feature piece and unique. And obviously you can mix and match the use.

"People buy a chest of drawers, put a sink on it and put it in the bathroom. You can upcycle and be quirky, but you still have a fine piece.”

In recent years mid-century modern furniture has moved from the pavement outside junk shops to the specialist gallery, with prices to match, does Justin see that continuing for much longer?

"I think older stuff is going to come in now. I think we're going to start moving into Victorian and Georgian.

“Mid century has faltered up and down over the last 10-15 years, especially in Northern Ireland. I think it will always have the people that like it, but antique-wise, it's a very narrow margin. Also price-wise, mid century is more expensive than ever has been. People want top dollar for it and they know they can get it. Antiques can still be bought at a reasonable price.”

Justin says he still gets that adrenaline rush when he stumbles on a find.

"That's the big problem. That's why I have containers full of stuff. I almost prefer buying, than selling.”

And he gets particularly excited when it comes to Irish whiskey items.

"If I find an old Victorian Bushmills jug, that to me is fantastic. But also Irish furniture. I love Georgian Irish furniture."

The shop is full of weird and wonderful items, but recently, Justin said he bought the “oldest, strangest, weirdest and most expensive thing” – a mummy's head. “It is 2,000 years old. It is a real mummy's head from Egypt. It was bought by a commander in the British Army in 1918 on the streets of Cairo – back then this stuff was just sold, they didn't have the same rules and regulations. The retail value on it is £35,000. I think if it got into Sotheby’s or Bonhams auction it would get £100,000."

Justin said his children and their friends love coming to the emporium and it holds family days, with bouncy castles, face painting, clowns, musicians, magicians, food and drink.

The business is also charity linked.“We've got our own charity called Kutunza Watato, which means Kidz Care. We’ve got an orphanage in Tanzania, which we fund the running of.

"We now have six Masai children that we put through schools in Tanzania as well. People donate furniture and all of our books and records sales go to the charity. And on the family days there’ll be a donation pot at every station.

As for the future, Justin is planning a move to much larger premises.

“At the minute we have 14,000 sq ft here and a further over 10,000 sq ft of storage in the Prop house, which makes us Ireland’s largest antique store, but the next move will put us in league with anything in England.”

On The Square Emporium is the kind of place where anyone of any age could quite happily lose themselves for hours. There’s a touch of the Steptoe’s yard about it (in a good way), but if you enjoy hoking through old maps, soda siphons, old-fashioned children’s toys, or if you want to buy a spectacular one-off piece of furniture that will well outlast the flat packs, then you’ll have oodles of options. But if you are in the market for a two-headed calf, you’ll have to look elsewhere!